22 Comments
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Laura Lynch's avatar

This is so emotional! I understand some of this … my parents played favorites and used labels that Ive spent a lifetime trying to shake. These childhood experiences are things that create deep beliefs and identities we never asked for, they create bonds and break bonds! It’s just how it is. I hope your brother reads this letter one day … I feel like it would provide so much healing! Thank you for giving us a glimpse into your life! I don’t take lightly how hard it is to be so transparent and vulnerable! It’s a beautiful thing! 🥹

Odel Asseille's avatar

I couldn’t agree more, Laura !

The more I think about childhood, the more I start to question my beliefs and identities. I realized that who we are today is deeply connected with our childhood. The more we can understand that period of our lives, the better it would be for us. Thank you and I wish my brother would find it some day and this could become a bridge between us. I deeply hope so.

Thank you for reading and for your kind words ! Greatly appreciated 🥰🥰✨

Laura Lynch's avatar

I think we need to question these things even if we come to the same conclusions because they would then become our choices. You’re so welcome! Your writing is beautiful!

Odel Asseille's avatar

Exactly, question them doesn’t necessary mean to change them, but to be conscious so that they would become our choices, then.

Thank you for your lovely compliment 🥰🫶🏽

Laura Lynch's avatar

You’re welcome! ❤️

Farrah Ferris's avatar

If he ever reads this, I do not think he will be disappointed. I listened to this in the evening. It is beautifully written, and genuine.

Odel Asseille's avatar

Thank you very much Farrah ! That means a lot. He may not be dispapointed by the part 1, but hope it’d be the same for part 2

Farrah Ferris's avatar

I am sure he will understand :) I have had some rumbles with my siblings as well (:

Odel Asseille's avatar

I hope so. And I’m glad knowing you worked it out well with your siblings

Darryl Wade Anderson's avatar

This is beautiful. It is a bit heart wrenching because parts of it I lived, most of it I can relate to. Your shows were very big, but it would still be hard to walk in your brother's. Wonderful.

Odel Asseille's avatar

Thank you so much Darryl.

Indeed, I guess it would be hard being in his skin. I used to be so angry at him but writing this and self-reflection took away that anger little by little. And I see why you can relate to most of it, I think when we grow with siblings, a lot of that happens.

Really thank you, I appreciate that 🫶🏽

Darryl Wade Anderson's avatar

You are very welcome, Odel. It was veru moving.

Sattie R's avatar

This poem was such a tear jerker. I know how parents play favourites and how the eldest child is treated and expected to be, as I am the eldest in my family. There was some resentment. My parents were always harder on me. I was expected to set an example for the younger ones. Now that my siblings and I are all adults it is different. I get along with my sister and my baby brother and our other brother we don't get along with.

Odel Asseille's avatar

Thank you very much Sattie! I’m sorry for the other brother you don’t get along, sometimes that doesn’t depend completely on us. But as long as we keep loving them, protecting them even helping them behind the scene, that’s already enough.

Although I can’t say my parents play favorites. I’d sat the problem was more that they try to treat us the same, while they keep giving something like parental responsibility to my big brother over me. They were not always present, so he had to look after me. While they still keep putting us in the same level.

I don’t know if that make sense.

I get along with my two other brothers as well. No sister in the family 🌚

Sattie R's avatar

What you say makes sense. My parents would ask my sister and I to help with cooking and cleaning and our brothers were not expected to do anything. They didn't realize they were being easier on some than the others because that's how they were raised. Daughters handled the domestic and boys were taken care of.

Odel Asseille's avatar

Our cultures have some similitudes. Usually girls handle the household chores, and the boys go help with works. As my parents come from farmers family, the boy helped in the farm, the physical work. This is different now, things have changed in the las decades. As in my family, we were only boys so I didn't live that situation neither.

Sattie R's avatar

Yes, things have changed. My brothers don't just do the stereotypical male roles anymore. They also cook and clean and help in caring for their kids. They are not raising their kids the way we were raised.

Odel Asseille's avatar

That's great. It's our responsibility to break the generational stereotypes and prejudices. And that can help us prepare the next generation better. Them too will have their own stereotypes to break as well. In the end, it's like the cycle of life

Sincerely Seb's avatar

This resonated pretty deeply. Well done.

Odel Asseille's avatar

Thank you very much, Seb. Greatly appreciated 🫂✨

Claudia B.'s avatar

Family relationships are rarely simple. They often carry equal parts love, disappointment, loyalty, gratitude, and hurt. What resonated with me most is that this piece doesn’t try to explain away those contradictions or force a neat resolution. Instead, it honors the complexity of what it means to grow up alongside someone whose life has been intertwined with your own from the very beginning.Thank you for sharing such an honest and vulnerable reflection.

Odel Asseille's avatar

Thank you so much, Claudia 🥰

I agree. Family matter are rarely simple. It’s often a mix of love, expectations, hurt, disappointment and so much gratitude. As you pointed it out, it’s important to keep the complexity of it. Recognizing the love without denying the hurt, be grateful and loyal without denying the disappointment. The goal is to see the person behind and understand them and perhaps we could have a better relationship.

Again, thank you and be blessed ✨☺️