Parents’ love, chances and change: My brother’s story

Hi everyone, I hope you are doing great.

Today, I’m gonna share my brother’s story of addiction, chances, and change.

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I grow up in a big family, we are seven siblings. I have 2 brothers and 4 sisters.

We were once babies chasing dragonflies and now we are all grown-ups chasing dreams.

As we grow up chasing our dreams, we are separated. My two brothers are seafarers. They have different time zone from us. To catch up with each other, we always spend time video calling during our vacant. Occasionally, it would take longer but most of the time just a minute or two.
This time, our video call ended just a minute because our older brother needs to work.
As we ended our call, I couldn’t help but smile and feel happy for my older brother.

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My brother grew up as a good child. His life only revolved around the house and school. He seldom spent time with his friends when he was in grade and high school. He followed everything my parents wanted. He was a good kid.

In college, he took a bachelor of science in nursing. Since my parents knew him as a good kid, they trusted him. They didn’t monitor his academic year.

Final year as a nursing student, my parents wonder why my brother didn’t invite them to his graduation. My mother went to the university and asked for my brother's record. She was shocked, my brother dropped his subjects and he didn’t pay the money for the fees. We didn’t know all of these, and we didn’t expect it. Supposedly, he would graduate from college at that time.

My parents were so devastated because who would expect? Who would have thought? That someone who couldn’t even break a glass became someone they didn’t know.

We didn’t know my brother became addicted to computer games and alcohol.

My parents talked to him deeply that night. He asked for a second chance and asked to shift to Marine Transportation. He didn’t continue his nursing career.

My parents, even though they were hurt, they supported the decision of my brother. I felt hateful towards my brother but decided to forgive him.

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Marine Transportation

After three years, my brother gave my parents a graduation portrait. My parents were so happy and thankful, at last, their eldest son is graduating.
Days passed and graduation day in the university came. We found out that he wasn’t graduating. He failed his subjects.

I hated myself because I trusted him. I always saw him in his uniform. I thought he’d gone to class but the uniform was just a show. Behind the uniform were bottles of alcohol.

I felt sorry for my parents. I confronted my brother. I threw words that insulted him. I despised him.

My father was so disappointed and was depressed. My parents didn’t know what to do at that time anymore. I saw their hearts break. I saw how they hide their tears.

After the incident, my brother left home and worked as a crew in a fast-food restaurant.

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I can testify how unconditional parents' love is.

My mother traveled 8 hours to see my brother and then waited hours to talk to my brother and convinced him to go back home and finish his study. They were willing to give him a chance again, they believe that education is the only treasure they could give to him. Parents’ love is unconditional indeed.

My brother went home and started to study again at the university. I doubted him. I expected him to mess his life again but I was wrong. He changed.

He didn’t waste the chance my parents gave him. He overcame his computer games and alcohol addiction.

Now he is sailing, doing his best for his family.

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Never do things that could hurt your parents.

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It ain't too late to change cause it’s not about how you start but it's about how you make things right.

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Forgive and give chance.