Before I even realized it, the first chapter of my life was coming to an end, and I was scared to death as the beginning of a new chapter in my life approached. It was the summer of 2003, and life was just starting to become quite exhilarating. As August came to a end, school was closing in and as usual everyone was dreading school. It was more than just another school year for me, though, my big brother was leaving home and starting college in the fall at Missouri Valley. With him leaving for college, this meant that he wouldn’t be there to watch over me as I stumbled through the years, and even though on the outside I seemed overly excited about him moving out, deep down I knew that I was going to miss him more then ever before.

When the morning came to take the mile drive to the Albany airport, the car ride that would normally seem like eternity passed by far too quickly. As our 2004 blue ford explorer drove up to the entrance of the airport, I remember thinking what my life would be like. I would be going from seeing him on a daily basis to now only seeing him at Christmas and over summer break. Even with the anticipated joys of being a single child, I knew deep down I wouldn’t like it as much as I hoped I would.

As I watched him walk on to the plane that was going to take him all the way to Saint Louis Missouri, I knew right then and there that growing up with an older brother to fight with and argue over the littlest things was all disappearing before my eyes. As much as I thought I hated all the fighting and arguing, it is what made our bond so unbreakable, so untouchable. It’s the little things like that which made my childhood the best time of my life.

During the first week of my brother’s absence, I thought life just couldn’t get any better. As time progressed, though, I began to miss him more and more. Finally, as school started to come to an end and summer slowly approached, I knew that this meant that it was almost time for my big brother Jody to take that plane ride back from Missouri, back to a place where all of our childhood memories are kept so dear; it’s a place called home. On the last day of school I remember walking up my driveway dreading how things would be different between us. As soon as I walked through the door I saw him standing there, with that same old grin on his face when he was up to something. In his right hand he held a water balloon, and before I had the chance to say a word I was soaked. From that moment on I knew that we were going to be better then ever before . As the summer passed our bond had grown stronger, and as the days went by each one found something new and exciting. As the end of summer rolled around and fall crept up on us, he left home once again heading for Missouri Valley.

Over that summer I learned that one of the most important things is that change is the only constant. People grow up and move on, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it from happening. It’s just how life is.