Kuya tough love

I remember fearing him when I was kid.

His voice screams authority, his commands are the law, what he says, I should do. That's how my young mind sees it back then.

I feel like washing the dishes is a punishment. I feel like sweeping the floor is a punishment. I feel that every household chores are punishments.

I feel like waking up so early in the morning to eat breakfast all together is a punishment. I feel like eating vegetables is a punishment. I feel like afternoon naps is a punishment.

Everything that he's making me to do, I feel like it's a punishment.

He always gets mad when I don't follow what he says and I always hear words from him whenever I am not doing what he tells me to do.

Even though I am obeying him, I feel like he's nagging at me whenever he speaks at me.

That's the reason why I have been so distant to him. I can't stand being near him, there is always a distance. I avoid sitting next to him on the dining table and I also avoid eye contact with him.

Hate is a very strong word and I don't hate him before, let's just say I'm not so fond of him... I can't stand him.

He's even way stricter than my brothers by blood. Way stricter than my mom and my sisters. Who is he to do that?

But later on, as I grow up, I started appreciating what he is doing to me, for me.

I appreciate that he taught me household chores so that when I am at someone's home, perhaps my friend's home, I know how to act well.

I appreciate that he cares for my health and well-being by forcing me to eat my vegetables and to sleep at noon.

I now understand that what he's telling me makes sense, those are words of wisdom, and it does not meant to hurt me, it is meant to teach me.

Being the youngest, I admit that I am kind of spoiled by my family. All of them are giving me a comfortable life. If not for my brother in law's iron hands, I won't be the person that I am right now.

He's the one who balanced my family's treatment to me therefore I can say that I am spoiled but I am never a brat.

Now that I am growing up, I started realizing and appreciating all those what seems like punishments for me before. All of those are for me, that's what my young mind fails to understand before.

My relationship with my brother in law is really unusual. I suppose not all brother and sister in law's relationship are not like this. That is why I am lucky to have him. By blood or by law, he is my brother.

Earlier, we went to the hospital to pay some bills and it feels nice to seat at the shotgun seat while he drives and we talk smoothly about random things that interests us both.

Gone is the distant me towards him. From being so distant, from being not able to stand him, I can now comfortably talk and stay close to him.

Actually, I already wrote an article about him before. I already wrote quite a few articles that he is involved. In fact, Ate @Jeaneth even have a nickname of him. "Kuya tough love" as she addressed him, just like the title of this article.

Going back, just what I told before that I will tell again this time, he will always be one of the best brothers that I will always have. And oh, his hands aren't made of iron right now. It feels like it is made of soft fabric, so soft and comfortable that you just know that he cares.

LOL. I suddenly thought of this while we were talking on our way home earlier. Awkward moments no more. The less than 1hr of travel only feels like 10 minutes. I didn't even noticed that we're already home.

Let's talk about you this time. Do you also have that kind of "tough love" on your family? Care to share at the comment section?

Thank you all for reading this far. Till next time! :)

Article No. 155 - October 26, 2021