Growing up with two brothers — Will, who is my twin, and my younger brother, Joe — hasn’t always been the easiest thing in the world.

Throughout my life I remember always trying to compete with my brothers in everything. Whether it was in after-school activities, in grades, or in sports, it was always a competition.

Fortunately, they have taught me a few things along the way; how to be tough, how to never give up on anything, and most importantly about brotherly love.

Growing up as the only daughter in the household was different, but one thing I learned from my brothers was how to be tough. Through elementary, middle and high school, my brothers were involved with Cub and Boy Scouts. They would go camping every other weekend; I envied them so much and wished I could go.

You can imagine my excitement when I was finally invited to join them on an official camping trip. One trip in particular was to Mt. Rodgers, Va., on the Appalachian Trail. This trip consisted of having to battle Mother Nature and an unexpected snowstorm. Luckily, my brother Joe was there to encourage me along the way by teaching me how to pitch my tent, build a fire and basically how to survive in the arctic weather.

Even though I was the only girl and I got extremely wet and grubby, I absolutely loved it.

Competitions have always played an important role in my life. Will and I are always trying to compete for higher grades on tests or beat each other in sporting events. One year, we were all on the summer swim team together. There was one race, the 50-yard freestyle, where Will would always beat my time. I had been trying hard and practicing all week and was determined to win. When I finally won, you could say that I had major bragging rights. Even though that moment wasn’t the brightest for Will, it truly helped me believe that I could accomplish anything and to never give up.

Even at their own expense, my brothers have always pushed me to challenge myself to do better. One of the most important things that they’ve taught me is about brotherly love. Next year I plan to attend college. It will be hard without my brothers, especially Will, since we’ve never been apart, but I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me, and hopefully they will come to visit. They’ve been there to support me through the best of times and the challenging times. It has not always been the easiest, but they’ve taught me that brotherly love and tough love are one in the same. And with those life lessons, I can accomplish anything that I set my mind to do.

 

Amelia Steinman is a senior at Salisbury High School.