I just saw The Lost Kennedy Home Movies last night on History Channel. And once again, my adoration for love among siblings sparked.
Siblings are clearly blessings from God. They are your 'stand-by' friends whether you like it or not. Forged by blood. You get to do treat them the way you treat your own chosen friends but at the same time, you get to meddle in their lives without being reprimanded. You get to show them love in anyway you please without being dictated, argue without having the door shut on your face, show your worst monster in you and still get treated for some fun after.
There was one line in The Kennedys Mini Series that sort of keep playing in my head, that one line said by Joe Kennedy to Bobby when John became President (or I think when he was about to run for presidency): "Jack needs someone he can trust and I need you to keep an eye on Jack." It's like saying "Your brother needs someone who can be trusted more than ever, you've got to help him." Joe Kennedy knew that if there's someone who can truly be trusted by Jack, it was his own brother. And that's one great power that siblings have: unshaken trust. And Robert Kennedy did nothing but prove that. He was the lion behind John in the office. He would tirelessly help his brother stay on track and not only back him up on his decisions but literally be visibly at the forefront ready to defend him before any opposition.
Its just so amazing when a brother forgets himself, his own personal interest, for his brother's welfare. When one puts aside one's own plans to be able to serve first a brother in need, that is chivalry at its best. Robert Kennedy had his own personal plans. He never really wanted big in the political arena. But he chose to forget his own plans and stepped up being a brother. And that is no science fiction.
As children grow up, petty quarrels would exist but its when siblings become fully matured individuals that real brotherhood starts to become obvious. One science fiction tv series, The Vampire Diaries, demonstrate this love between two vampire siblings, the Salvatore brothers;human siblings Elena and Jeremy. Just like real life siblings, they have tremendous differences that sometimes get in the way of their harmonious existence but whenever one is in serious danger, the other one would always be ready to give up his own life to save the other.
I believe that is the real essence of brotherhood, being ready to give up your life for your brother, being ready to sacrifice when your brother needs you, even without being told. Though the need for literally dying for a brother nowadays is fortunately rare, situations needing sacrifices to help a brother achieve something good never runs out. And blessed are those who do have siblings they can count on.
There is one site that advocates Siblings Day in the United States. I haven't really fully read it but you can check it at www.siblingsday.org. I think they are proposing to have April 10 to be the Siblings Day. I think its a good idea to have one special day for remembering siblings in a special way.
I think that being a brother or a sister and being a friend is inseparable. If you can't love your own siblings the way you love your own chosen friends, then you probably have not really learned what brotherhood really means. In the same way that if you can't love your own chosen friends the way you love your own siblings, then you probably have not really learned what friendship really means.
