Dear Little Brother,
I am not sure exactly where to start. There are so many things that I want to say. As you prepare to move and we say our goodbyes, I first want you to know that it is not goodbye. Although you will be hundreds of miles away, you need to know that I will always be there for you. When life is good. When your day is bad. When you are in trouble. When you need a friend. It doesn’t matter where life takes you, I will always be there with you.
The last 5 plus years have been awesome. I remember meeting you for the first time in our initial Big Brother Big Sister match up. You were 8 years old and full of energy. I was so excited to meet you, yet concerned that you wouldn’t like me. We spent those first few months as lunch buddies meeting every Monday at school. We ate, we read books, we laughed, and we played games. I kicked your butt many times in Connect Four and I believe that I am still the world champion. I enjoyed each and every encounter that we had. You impacted me in a big way during those first few months and I wanted to spend more time with you.
We moved our match to the community program and you started coming to my home every week. You became a part of my family. We had so many good times. We played hours and hours of video games (especially Call of Duty) where you constantly killed me and made me look silly. We watched a lot movies that made us laugh and giggle uncontrollably. We visited many car dealerships in town where we looked at hotrods and fancy cars. We danced and rapped as the hip-hop duo A-Fresh and Double O Ty’ere. We raced go-karts, played sports, did homework, played with our dogs, and ate a lot of food. So many memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. It is hard to believe that it has come to an end.
I am very proud of the young man you are becoming. You have grown, matured, and learned many lessons over the years. There are few things I want to say to you today that I hope that you will never forget.
Don’t stop learning. Remember that you do not have all of the answers. Listen to others, focus in school, and get the great education that you deserve. The Lamborghini that you always wanted to see could be yours some day if you work hard. You are a smart kid with a bright future, but it will not be easy. Nobody is going to hand it to you. You will have to earn it.
Be a leader. Don’t follow others and become friends who will be a bad influence. Be independent and strong and do not let others take advantage of you. This is one of the things I have worried about over the years. You want to fit in. You want to be cool. But at what cost? Do not settle and do not let your peers control you.
Love your family and those around you, Little Brother. You only have one mama. Love her. Obey her. Help her. You are old enough to do your part around the house. Be the man of the house and step up your game. Do not expect your mother to do everything for you. Respect her always. You are now closer to your sisters. Love them and treat them like they deserved to be treated. Treat them like your mama.
Lastly, always remember that you are special. You are unique and there is only one you. Find your passion and pursue it. Live life with purpose everyday and never let anyone tell you that you are nothing. It isn’t true and you cannot fill your mind and your heart with that nonsense.
It doesn’t matter how old you get Little Brother, I will always love you. You will always be part of my life, my family, and my heart. I look forward to the phone calls, the Skype sessions, and that day that you and I get to hang out again. I look forward to your high school graduation, college, your wedding, and the day that you become a parent. The future is bright and I am ready to experience it with you. I love ya Little Brother!
Your friend and Big Brother,
Aaron
I encourage you to consider becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister. Visit Big Brothers Big Sisters to learn more about becoming a mentor. Investing time in a child just may change their life. I guarantee that it will change yours!
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