I have previously stated how life in my 30’s has been full of bittersweet moments. To be honest, these kinds moments have occurred ever since I went off to boarding school at age 14. I was so excited to go to Andover, yet sad to leave home– especially my grandmother. Each graduation thereafter was marked with sadness at the thought of leaving my beloved learning institutions, even as I was enjoying the sense of accomplishment with the receipt of each new diploma. When I got married, I was happy, but also nervous, and the same was true when I had my son, with each new job, etc. But for the first time in ages, I’ve been given a moment of shear bliss– after all these years, I have finally connected with my brother.
It is hard to imagine what it must be like for a 27 year old man to learn all of sudden that he has a half sister across the Atlantic. All of the sudden, just when he probably thought he had things figured out, I have entered his life and made him an uncle in the process. Having had just 2 months to digest this news, as we developed our connection via emails, Skype and Facebook, he then took the biggest leap of faith any man has ever taken in my lifetime– he bought a ticket and crossed the big pond to come meet me!
Thankfully, I was able to shed my tears prior to his arrival at the airport. That first hug was the most amazing moment in my life, and in that instant it confirmed what I had suspected for some time. Unlike any other man that has entered my life before, where I have had to determine if it was worthwhile creating a friendship, partnership, or professional relationship, this one does not have to worry about me passing any judgments– by the very fact that he is my brother, he has my unconditional love.
These days, we are all so cautious, and while I do believe that it wise to think before acting, it is also important to make sure we don’t over-analyze things. Some people worry so much about situations that they become paralyzed– utterly unable to make any decisions or changes in their lives. My brother could have easily said that he would see me during the holidays or whenever I am visiting his country, or he could have sat around for months letting the news sink in and cautiously allowed our relationship to build over time via emails, calls, etc., but instead he went full steam ahead and got on the first flight he could manage to come and meet me, making me in the process the happiest woman in the world. Perhaps we should all take a page from his book!
