25 Things I Want For My Little Brother (Even On The Days I Can’t Stand Him)

1. A challenging love. A love that requires work and time and sacrifice with an immeasurable return.

2. The courage to do what makes him happy, not what makes him seem manly.

3. The earned respect of women.

4. The pluck to forgive.

5. To be overwhelmed by how much he loves what he loves. To wake up every morning thirsty for his own life.

6. Whimsy. To never lose the passion for play he had as a kid.

7. To know deeply and wholly that violence is never the answer. To never use his fists.

8. A moldable mind. To hunger for knowledge that might reshape his consciousness.

9. The calm I don’t have. To retain the incredible cool he has when raising his voice is the easier option.

10. Profound self love.

11. Killer instincts. I want him to understand people and to get good at reading obscure characters.

12. Beautiful, vivid dreams.

13. A vast understanding of how unusually capable and wonderful he is.

14. To enjoy food for pleasure, not just for fuel.

15. Friends who inspire him.

16. And of those friends, at least one whom he feels like he could go to with anything without fear of being judged.

17. Failure. I hope he fucks up and grows miles and miles because of it.

18. Good posture.

19. The will to stand up to men who scare him.

20. To live outside of the States for some extended period of time. To call a totally unfamiliar place home.

21. Energy. Lots and lots and lots of energy.

22. To always feel wanted and adored.

23. A healthy relationship with alcohol (and other drugs). To never look for answers in substances.

24. The acute ability to know when he’s wrong, and the bravery to own it.

25. The knowledge that I would do virtually anything for him. Except adopt an all eggplant diet. Due to my hate of eggplant, of which he’s very aware.