Of all the great leaders and inspirational speakers that have changed the world in their various ways, the person I chose for this blog is my brother Joshua. Josh is 25 and is without a doubt a young reckless soul, however his wisdom and experience in dealing with whatever life can throw at him precedes his age.
I grew up with Josh, and always remember him being the cool and rebellious big brother any wide-eyed child could dream of having. This was at a time before I understood mental illness and how it could change one’s life. As I grew older I saw how he had been affected by anxiety and depression throughout even our childhood. I recently was told that he is my half brother. This was news to me, and it did nothing but deepen my appreciation for him. His entire life he had been dealing with his own issues but he never once failed to be a good brother to me.
When I think of someone inspirational I can’t help but picture my brother: the man who was there for me even though he wasn’t sure if he was a part of our family. The qualities that make him inspirational are the same ones that make him a good big brother. Selfless, real, kind and resilient. Most importantly, he’s always glad to be there to pick someone up when they’re feeling low, no matter his own situation. I can’t express in words how his battle with identity has inspired me, and pushed me to always try to be the best me I could possibly be.
Lovers and Fighters | Section 22 