big bro

my brother is pretty much my only consistent friend. he's also someone i can disagree with at considerable length. these facts have somehow coexisted for years.

we've had our ups and downs. arguments, debates, the occasional discovery that having an opinion and being able to defend it are two different things. i prefer making that discovery about him.

i don't particularly enjoy being challenged. i would like to say something confidently and have that be the end of it. unfortunately, my brother has follow-up questions.

but having someone who pushes back forces me to learn. i have to understand what i'm talking about, explain it, and sometimes admit that i don't know enough yet. annoying things to require of a person who was feeling very correct a minute ago.

i'm grateful for that, even when my immediate response suggests otherwise.

more than the debates, though, i'm grateful that he's been there. through the good parts and the parts i wouldn't put in a photo album. he knows more versions of me than most people ever will, and he's still my friend.

i wouldn't be where i am without him. i wanted to put that somewhere i couldn't immediately take it back with a joke.

love you. this is a thank-you, not a concession. we can resume being wrong about each other tomorrow.

> p.s. if you're reading this, don't make it weird next time i see you.