brothers

the relationship between brother and sister is different than the relationship between two brothers. at its core the relationship between two brothers is a very simple bond, but upon further investigation it is quite complicated and full of contradictions. brothers have a loyalty to one another that is like no other, but at the same time are in an unspoken competition, each one having a set of strengths different from the other. they can be each others harshest critic, and will be the first one to set the record straight if someone else speaks negative words. they are best friends and enemies all at the same time. and when it comes right down to it, no one has your back like your brother.

i will never get the opportunity to see the relationship grow and develop between cooper and chace. and to be honest, had cooper not died, there would not have been a little brother at all. but that does not prevent me from wondering how they would have interacted or what we will tell chace about his older brother. i think it is important that he know about cooper, cooper's birth and death forever changed our family. i am certain that just as ph and i have a relationship with cooper even after death, chace will find a connection of his own to the brother he never knew.

and while i will never see them both physically together, i was able to see them in one place, in one moment of time during chace's photo shoot. seeing chace sleeping so peacefully holding the cooper bird was a moment i simply can not put into words, but i do know this, in that moment i saw both of my boys, connected to each other through the bond of brotherhood and that brought me some much needed peace.