The first bird leaves the nest...

"The tiny little bird, the first out of the tree,

Looked round at his parents, then forward to see,

The new world was opened for him to reach,

By trying his wings, trying what they did teach."

Yesterday my big brother moved out of our childhood home...really moved out. In this day and age, when you are in your twenties and you move out it doesn't always stick.

You move into a dorm, you come home.

You move into a house with friends, you come home.

You move away to travel the world, you come home.

You always have a 'home' base. But this time, it's for good.

I suppose I am not as upset as I would be if I was living at home at the moment (you see, right now I am in the 'travel the world' phase) and watching him move out all of his belongings. When I do return home and I see his empty room I know that this will be painfully real for me.

My brother and I were like any brother and sister growing up. We fought. He pushed my buttons and I pushed his. Typical. However, as we moved into adulthood our relationship grew from just 'brother and sister' to friends. Best friends. His opinions on love, school, work, music, arts and politics all strongly influenced me. I sought his approval of every phase of my life.

And now he's gone. He moved to another country. And life will never be quite the same.

"Growing up is never easy. You hold onto things that were. You wonder what's to come. But that night, I think we knew we had to let go of what had been, and look ahead to what would be. Other days. New days. Days to come. The thing is, we didn't have to hate each other for getting older. We just had to forgive ourselves...for growing up."

-"The Wonder Years"