Lifestyle / Siblings: Friends For Life

Siblings: Friends For Life

Lifestyle Jan 19, 2015

by Shreya Ghosh

It's awesome to have a sibling!

A gift from my parents that I cannot thank them enough for is my brother. Older or younger, a brother or a sister, a sibling can be your best friend for life — at least in my experience. Growing up together, experiencing happiness and sorrow at the same time, left my sibling and me with a strong bond.

Articles have discussed sibling rivalry, but I've noticed less of a focus on how amazing a sibling relationship can be. I believe that the sibling relationship is the longest-lasting relationship after your parental relationships. Having a sibling at home can never lead to boredom or loneliness. Movie nights and random parties over pizzas and popcorn can become a fun evening ritual. Fights over having the biggest share of cake or who will sleep in which side of the bed are an essential part of this bond.

However, changes do occur in how we express sibling love as we grow and enter into adulthood. I've seen sparks of jealousy often surface among siblings when one becomes involved in a romantic relationship. Let's just say that I've seen this green-eyed monster arise because of the sibling's divided attention. This sudden change can certainly lead to conflicts as a result of the insecurity and possessiveness that kicks in.

From my experience with Indian families with more than one sibling, the mother strives to distribute her attention evenly. More often than not, it's the responsibility of the older sibling to take care of the needs of the younger siblings. Feeding my younger brother, playing with him and reading bed-time stories were all integral parts of my growing-up years. Giving up something for my brother has never made me feel like his rival. I have never felt this was a compromise; I always loved pampering him. Now, as mature individuals, we both realize that these experiences have helped us form a strong relationship over the years. The journey of facing laughter and losses together has left us with a relationship founded on platonic love and immense respect for one another. Today, although we are physically miles away from one another, we still remain close.

What have I learned from my childhood? Growing up with a younger sibling as his caregiver and friend, I learned qualities like responsibility, tolerance and teamwork. The most important quality of all, I feel, is the ability to share. From sharing toys to clothes in younger years to sharing secrets in adulthood, this closeness builds a strong relationship of shared and priceless memories.

^{_{Feature Image of Shreya & her brother: courtesy of Shreya Gosh}}

Shreya Ghosh

Author

Shreya is a fervent writer and a marketing professional. A romantic at heart, she is a true optimist who loves reading, reaching for the stars, and anything that screams style. Drawing inspiration from life experiences, she believes a dream to be the beginning of a reality. Shreya is also a believer...

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Siblings: Friends For Life

by Shreya Ghosh

It's awesome to have a sibling!

Shreya Ghosh

COMMENTS

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