He's called David, my brother, and he is 62 years old. The sibling relationship fascinates me so much more than romantic relationships. When you're young, relationships, or those 'together for a few days' things are so ephemeral, whereas a sibling is always there and if you're fortunate enough to get on, not just see each other at Christmas, funerals and weddings, there's probably no other relationship which is so easy.
Another aspect of the sibling relationship is that although you've been brought up by the same parents, some siblings could not be more different. That is the case with my brother and me. The difference between us, especially when we were children, were stark. I was loud, talkative, volatile, whereas my brother was shy, quiet and and easy-going. Although we have veered towards each other's characteristics to some extent, generally we are still the same.
Perhaps he took a little longer than most to find his niche in life, in as far as any of us find our niche. Once found, he excelled. He is a foster father and a superb one. He and his wife began in 2002 and they now teach others about foster caring, as well as continuing to foster themselves. At the moment they have three Slovakian Romany children, aged 9,12 and 13. In total they have fostered twenty children.
You can, if you choose, foster in a kind of 'hands off' way; not my brother and his wife. They really do act as parents. They take the children to places, supervise homework, insist they eat healthily and get enough sleep.
People like my brother and his wife so often go unrecognised which is why I am going to nominate him and my sister-in -law for an OBE. Watch out for them.
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