An Open Letter to my Little Brother

Subject: An Open Letter to my Little Brother
From: Radha
Date: 16 Jun 2015

Dearest Little Brother,

I love you a lot. I really do, even if you think all I do is sit in my room and work on school the whole time, or talk to my friends. That being said ... interacting with you is beginning to feel like a real pain. You don't have to micromanage me and tell me what to do. You're not my mother. And half the times, I've already done the stuff you tell me to do, so then it just gets irritating. Mom gets on my case enough as it is. I don't need her to have another minion.

Also, when our parents get angry at me, and start lecturing me about one thing or another, you really don't need to make faces behind their backs at me. You get in trouble a lot more than I do, and how would you like it if I did that to you? And then it gets worse, because our parents think I'm overreacting at you since they don't notice your secret faces or sly little comments, designed to hurt me even more than I already am.

And please lose the phrase, "No dip, Sherlock." (apparently it's the equivalent of saying "No duh") I really don't know where you picked it up from, but I guess it must've come from you starting middle school this year. But it REALLY gets on my nerves. Like, even more than your incessant need for making noise or doing some kind of movement. Particularly because the way you say it makes me feel like you think I'm an idiot or something. And the tone in which you deliver it is so condescending. I don't deserve that from you, brother. Apart from the fact that I’m four years older than you, You and I both know I'm a good sister. We don't get into half as many fights as most people do, but you have to realize, that's because I tolerate your antics. The thing is...this dam is going to burst, someday.

Furthermore, you don't need to argue with me about the technicalities and nuances of every phrase I utter. For example, while we're discussing something, if I say "everyone knows that the sky is blue", you don't have to jump down my throat and say 'well, sometimes it's red and orange and purple' and whatever other color pops into your silly little mind. Dude (because maybe using THAT word will get your attention) I've been alive for four years longer than you. I don't claim to be the smartest person in the world, or even close, but I do know what I'm talking about. You don't have to criticize and try to dissect every single thing I say. Can you at least try to accept something I say for once? Oh, and just so you know, that was an EXAMPLE. I know we’ve never argued about the color of the sky (thank heaven).

I know you’ll think I’m overreacting if I give this to be. I bet you think I have an awesome life or something, that I should be able to take some hits. Well, I HAVE been taking them, for far too long in my humble opinion. If you think that I’m happy all the time, and I never look that upset, that’s because I’ve learned to hide it. And if you wonder why I don’t feel like spending time with you anymore…well, maybe you should stop and think about the way that you treat me. Because I really don’t want to say this, since you still are my brother and I care about you deeply…but if this doesn’t stop, I’m not sure I’ll really want hang out with you at all. As it is, I’d much rather be doing nearly ANYTHING than be forced to spend an hour solely with you.

Thank you for taking your valuable time to read this, I really appreciate it. I sincerely hope you’ll take this to heart. Because I really am not joking with you. I do feel betrayed by your actions. And I miss the good relationship as siblings that we had. This has got to stop, because otherwise, I’ll just resort to minimal interaction with you, doing only what’s necessary to fulfill my job of being your older sibling. I pray that you’ll see the light.

Your loving sister,

Radha

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