The Epitome of Best Friends

It all started the day I came into the world. I can’t say I remember our first moment, but I remember everything else.

I remember everything from running bases for him, when he and his friends would play baseball, to him and Greg cutting up my dead goldfish pretending it was sushi. I remember him smashing my first little guitar and him and me making cookies, meaning I made the cookies and he stood in the kitchen and watched.

I remember always sitting downstairs with him, watching him play videogames or watching TV. I stayed by my brother’s side a lot when I was a kid. To me, he was safety.

Our lives have never been easy. We’ve gone through hell and we’ve been beaten and broken by the people who are supposed to love us.

But we knew that, no matter what, we had each other, no matter what happened.

Now it’s years later and we’re still each other’s rock. We look upon each other as our person. We couldn’t live without each other and that’s the best thing I’ve ever gotten.

When I was born, I was blessed with an amazing brother. He’s the person I could never hate and the person I want to be like. He is someone I am blessed to say is my best friend.

I would not be alive if Jack wasn’t here. He’s kept me alive at my darkest points. He may not know it, but he’s my saviour.

I cherish the moments we have together. Every moment, even if it’s us crying in a driveway, or eating chilli in the kitchen. Even if we’re loaded and can barely walk, all the moments are ones I’ll remember forever.

He may have thrown pennies at me so I’d bring him food and drinks. He may have beat me in every game of capture-the-flag we ever played. He may have screamed times tables at me when I was in Grade 3. He may have kept food from me until I did his Grade 8 homework with him, but at least I ended up learning Pi at 8.

With every penny he threw at me, with every game he won, with every number he yelled in my face, he was still the one person I loved the most, the one person who loved me more than anyone else.

My brother has done so much for me, that he doesn’t even know he did.

He showed me I’m worth believing in and loving. He showed me I could do things I doubted I could. I went for an audition, for school and I wouldn’t have been able to do it if he didn’t say “the best NHL goalies puke before every game.” That stuck with me.

I walked into that audition after he hugged me and all the nerves fell away. I did it. I aced that audition. They said it was one of the best they’d ever seen.

Walking out of that audition and to the restaurant to my family waiting, before they saw me, I saw Jack. He looked so stressed out. Then he saw me and instantly he jumped up and hugged me. I couldn’t have done it without him.

Jack’s words reminded me that I deserved this and I did it. He gave me hope and gave me the boost to be happy for myself and to get excited for what’s to come.

Even on his darkest days, Jack is still there for me. He’ll pick me up, even when he can’t pick himself up. He’s my best friend and forever will be. He is the one blessing God gave me.

People come into your life for three reasons: a season, a reason and a lifetime.

At first, I thought maybe Jack was here for a lifetime, but I realized that he was here for a reason. I mean, of course he’ll be around for a lifetime, but he’s here for a reason because he’s the one person who helped me get to where I am. People who are here for a reason help you. They’re the people you always cherish even when they aren’t right beside you. The people who are here for a reason are the most important.

Yes, Jack will be here for a lifetime because he’s strong. But he was sent to me for a reason ‒ to be my best friend ‒ and to always be there to make me laugh, when I’m down on myself.

He always thinks he’s like our father, but Dad was only here for a season. It was exciting but there’s always an end point. Jack is strong and doesn’t give up. He’s here for a lifetime not a season. He is everything our father wishes he was.

Jack is the best person anyone could ever meet. Sure, he makes mistakes, and sure he’s an idiot sometimes, but my brother is someone who will give you a second chance. He’ll look through the walls and see you for you and he won’t judge you. My brother would never give up on people.

My brother is the biggest weirdo in the world and he’s the kindest person ever.

My brother is my best friend.

Thank you for saving me, Jack. I love you.