Brotherhood

I had the honor of witnessing something powerful the other weekend that I just had to write about.

At least a few sentences…….

This is primarily a “lifestyle” blog featuring DIY home projects and recipes, but sometimes I feel the need to break away from that format and get a little personal.

This is one of those times.

You always hope, pray and occasionally even try to throw in some magical pixie dust (if only) that your kids find a group of friends that share the same values, ethics and moral compass that you have tried to instill in your kids from infancy.

You get to see this first hand as they toddle through childhood and navigate the minefield that the teenage years has everyone wading through. Their friends in and out of the house……….. their friends parents becoming your friends.

Once they spread their wings and leave the nest you are no longer on the inside …….

………and once again you can just pray and hope that they can find a group that they connect with, praying that they venture from their comfort box.

Or is it my comfort box that I should be worrying about?!

I can safely say that B has found his core group……..his extended brothers!

Photo credit: Unknown

Or if you are into sports……

…..the Brotherhood!

I have only ever heard this term “Brotherhood”used in hockey, but I am sure that this is not owned by the hockey world. K’s team in Cincinnati was genuinely the brotherhood, but I could never say that about B’s……

…..until a few weekends ago!

It was the University of Toledo’s annual cancer awareness game with all proceeds going to research at St. Jude’s. This was the first time that I was able to attend. Might sound odd to hear that, but when you have multiple kids, you split up most weekends so that each kid has their own personal cheering section.

It was not the items that were being raffled off, nor the sense of community permeating the air as you walked around the arena.

It wasn’t even the sea of pink!

Photo credit: M. Textor

No……….. it was the raw emotion coming from these twenty five men supporting their teammate #25.

This game was not only a fundraiser for a worthy cause, but it was also to show love and support to this young man’s Mom……who was in the fight of her life.

It was supposed to be……

…..but it was not.

Instead, these boys were playing in her honor and memory as the unimaginable happened and she lost the battle on Christmas Eve.

Since then these boys have lifted their brother up when I am positive all he wanted to do was sink into a dark cave and never come out…..

Human emotion is so very raw, you never know how any one person will deal with them.

Especially boys!

Photo credit: M. Textor

For some of these boys, emotions were running high on this evening.

Some having been in this young man’s shoes, and others capable of putting themselves in his shoes!

I have always been fascinated with how the human race interacts, and what types of emotions bring people together.

Their similarities, and even their differences!

What is it that actually makes that connection, and keeps them coming back for more?

When they are younger, boys connect via sports, school sponsored events………they gravitate towards the kids who have the same interests as them.

They don’t talk about anything special, everything is mostly played on the surface, as hopefully their young lives are protected from anything too emotional or too heavy.