“What happens when your dad and I are long gone? Then you two have to take care of each other,” our mom says. Like clockwork, our mom guilt-trips my brother and me into being civil with each other after yet another petty sibling fight. My dad jokingly rolls his eyes while my brother and I tell our mom to knock on wood in our superstitious fashion. But, our mom is onto something because it works. I stop seeing my brother as my enemy, and I see him once again as my GoGo, my older brother. 

My favorite memories of our shared childhood are at home when we played Wii together. From Mario Super Bros to Kirby’s Return to Dreamland, we would play video games until our mom had to peel us away to get to bed. Although I can vividly remember the playful shouting at each other and the TV screen, those were some of the best memories of my childhood because of my brother. After all, I believe that one of my brother’s top qualities is his ability to light up a room, to make fun out of any situation. 

My brother was the athlete of the family when we were younger. On Sundays, sports took over; soccer practice at 8 a.m. in Arcadia, a basketball game at 2 p.m. in Long Beach, and a basketball practice at 7 p.m. in Temple City. Not only were Sundays filled to the brim with sports, but throughout the week, he would have a different sports practice every day ranging from 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. However, my brother never complained, not even once. He didn’t argue for more time off because of one reason: he loved what he did. That unwavering devotion he showed towards his sports regimen was admirable and something I have always wanted to imitate. 

During the pandemic, when my friends and I drifted apart because of lack of interaction, my brother was there for me in their stead. He took me out to new bubble tea places, bought me Kentucky Fried Chicken, and became my tutor when I didn’t understand concepts due to distance learning. His acts of service did not go unnoticed; I just hope that my reciprocation of his kindness by being his personal alarm clock and my daily “How are you?” was enough to show that I appreciated him. 

Even though he is at college, he doesn’t let my family or me forget about him for more than a couple hours. He texts about his life at UCLA to our family group chat, calls at night to give advice on my college applications, and comes back home whenever there is a special occasion to celebrate like a birthday or a holiday. His presence through these small actions assures our mom that he’s okay, gives our work-aholic dad a reason to take a break, and reminds me that he still has my back. 

To my GoGo–my Philadelphia Eagles loving, elephant adoring, partyer of a brother–thank you.