Brother(s)

It's on my Facebook; I've also written about "it" in a couple of entries here. My friends know; his friends also know. All in all, it's Facebook official.

What am I rambling about? Am I finally in a relationship? *grin* No! Lol...rather the question should be, WHO am I talking about?

Jared Cheow. Jared John. Jared Soliano Cheow. Whatever he chooses to call himself, my sis and I simply call him BROTHER.

Yes, he's Chinese. Yes, he's from different parents. Yes, he looks different from us. But that's where the differences end, for as much as we are different, we are in fact much more alike.

To the world,, he's my cousin; to us, our brother. We grew up together; played together; laughed together; MADE FUN of our parents together! Fights? None that I can remember of. Though two years younger than me and four years older than my sis, Jared is very much the bigger brother (and I don't mean his size!).

We keep in touch through Facebook and SMSes; and though we rarely call each other due to our schedules, we never fail to meet up whenever one of us are in each other's hometowns. He is the son my parents never had; and my sis and I are the daughters his parents never had. Jared is also one guy I know who will always be there for me.

But...

Unknown to many, I have another brother. And come March 1st, he would have been 21. No...he's not my sister's twin.

Eric Joseph Cheow. Son of Douglas and Lita. Brother to Jared, Vayshna and me.

A fair boy akin to a mat salleh boy, with brown hair and a cheeky grin. I barely remember interacting with him, though I vividly remember being told that he always had to have a small pillow behind his head whenever he slept in the "buaian". I also remember him having his pacifier always pinned to his t-shirt.

Eric left us too early; choosing instead to go up and accompany his father and maternal grandfather. I simply believe that he got his 'key to freedom' much earlier than us. Later, he would be joined by paternal grandfather, great-grandfather, granduncle and great-grandmother. A congregation of great people above, watching us. And amidst them, a young, fair-skinned boy, running around, laughing, playing.

I remember him every March 1st, always wondering how it would be if he were still here. Would he and I be close? Or, would he and my sis gang up and attack us, the elder siblings? Or, would he and Jared gang up on my sis and I? What would most probably happen is the four of us joining forces against our parents!! Now that seems more likely!! :-)

And so...while my sis and I grow closer to Jared, our brother on Earth, I believe that the three of us can be assured that, not only do we have our great Father and relatives above us, protecting us and showering us with blessings, we also have our brother in Heaven, looking down on us, smiling, laughing, watching...loving us.

And as much as we love and miss him, I'm sure that Eric knows. And with that knowledge, I'm comforted.