This week I was honoured and excited to be a Bridesmaid at a very special wedding between my Brother Kieran and the beautiful and loving Jane. I also got a request to say something during the speeches, and as I haven't shared anything in a long time I wanted to share what I wrote on the blog.
1. I might have had a quieter life had I not have been so vigilant, and let him run off and get lost all those years ago.! (joke)
2. There is now someone else who loves him enough to keep him from wandering off, getting lost and into trouble, and for that I thank you Jane. Thank you for taking on that responsibility and for giving me and everyone else peace of mind in the knowledge that you will look after him.
My baby brother and
Jane asked me to say something on their special day as apparently I'm
good at public speaking, however my usual crowd is 12-14 year old
Girl Guides, so I'll see how well I do here. The last time I
spoke in front of family and friends was at a less joyous occasion when my Nan
passed away, and as soon as I spoke Kieran was sobbing, so I'm hoping
today's speech won't do the same.
I saw something
recently on Facebook titled “You'll only understand if you have a
sibling!” Listing all the subtle ways that brothers and sisters get
each other into trouble, the fights, the imaginary games, the tricks
and hiding things from parents and about being a team, and it got me
thinking about being a Big Sister.
From a very young age I
turned on “Big Sister Mode”, I looked out for and looked after my
baby brother as my main responsibility.
As most of Kieran's
friends are aware, after a beer or two in a bar, club and especially at a
festival Kieran likes to wander off. He has always done this, not
only when drunk! In many situations in our childhood Kieran would be
out of earshot and eyesight within minutes, leaving me mortified and
often in tears that we had lost him forever and someone would take
him away, usually he was lost in Woolworths or the park and could be found
in the toy section or playing with some new friends, not in any real
danger, but I took my role as big sister seriously and would track
him down, bring him back and try to keep him and us out of trouble.
As we have now grown up
into “mature and responsible!” adults, I have realised two
things:-
1. I might have had a quieter life had I not have been so vigilant, and let him run off and get lost all those years ago.! (joke)
2. There is now someone else who loves him enough to keep him from wandering off, getting lost and into trouble, and for that I thank you Jane. Thank you for taking on that responsibility and for giving me and everyone else peace of mind in the knowledge that you will look after him.
I know you love each
other lots and you will wander together on your own adventures and keep each other safe. I'm excited to
have myself a new Big Sister to share the sibling love with, as well
as a pain in the bum baby brother!
