Guest Author: Aubrey Snyder
Hi, my name is Aubrey, and I am a sibling. My brother and I are tight. We are twins and have been best friends for the past 21 years. I recently moved across the country this last month for an internship with TASH and it’s the first time my brother and I have been apart.
I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t really hard. The guilt of leaving my brother is enormous at times and I have to remind myself daily that what I am doing is not selfish. It has taken me awhile to realize it is okay to put myself first, especially when it comes to my education. But what I didn’t realize, was how okay he was going to be. My family and I are not always sure how much my brother fully understands, so we didn’t know how he was going to react with my being gone for four solid months- especially when the longest I’ve left them before was two weeks. He is fine and thriving as ever though, which is not a huge surprise given his (usually) happy and loving spirit.
I was always worried he would be mad at me if I ever left for a while or would even feel abandoned. But he’s not mad, sad, or uneasy towards me. His reaction to my leaving has given me a new set of confidence in both myself and him. I already knew my brother was strong and very much his own person. However, continuing to hear his speech improve over the telephone and tell me about his day makes me realize he is fine without me; and I am fine to live my own life too.
This doesn’t mean we don’t miss each other, I am very much looking forward to when I get to see him and the rest of my family again. This adventure of mine has brought a new light to our relationship. No matter the distance, we are still siblings and best friends!