With my younger brother, we used to be very close. From a very young age, we shared everything. We had the same room, the same toys, and the same friends. We even wore the same everyday clothes. We were inseparable, at school and even during our university years where we played together in a band with friends. We both studied the same career. Everything changed when my brother finished university and went abroad to do his master’s degree. From that moment I knew my relationship with him would never be the same. It was hard for me to say goodbye. After leaving to study, he soon got married and never returned home again.

Today, 30 years later, my relationship with my brother is wonderful. My son and his son are like brothers themselves, and they too are inseparable. When I see them, I remember my childhood and teenage years when we were best friends. I think that some goodbyes help us love our loved ones better. They remind us that people’s paths eventually diverge. That it’s better to cherish every minute we have by their side.