Emilie Schwing

“Growing up, there were a lot of constant changes when it came to the people around me and the places where my time was spent. People came in and out of my life.

With these changes, I can remember feeling alone and wondering if anyone cared enough about me to stay in my life. Despite these feelings, there was something that never changed. It was something that got me through it all. It was the simple fact that my three older brothers had and will always have my back. Anytime a friend betrayed me or a boy broke my heart, they were there to encourage and comfort me.

I had been dating a guy for a few year. Despite how “easy” it had become to be with this one guy, it was doing much more damage than I was aware of. The people around me could see that it was a train wreck waiting to happen and they were right. One night, he ended it and it broke me. Even though I was stubborn, my brothers were there to comfort me and tell me that things would be okay.

In this moment, I learned that the ease of being complacent, is not worth the damage that comes along with it. There’s so much value in becoming a person that wants to protect others from damage. The comfort of knowing my brothers were there for me, is a moment I will hold onto forever. Because honestly, it makes me feel safe. “