in the middle

i have 1 older brother
and 2 younger sisters.
technically, i could be considered a middle child.
however, it doesn't feel that way at all.
i wasn't raised with my brother,
and even if i had been,
i think being the oldest girl somehow canceled out my middle child status.
i learn a lot about being a middle child by watching will.
he is an official middle child,
smack dab in the middle of 1 older brother and 1 younger sister.
he came with the perfect personality to be a successful middle child.
he has always been tender,
oh so tender,
thoughtful,
and very much aware of other people's feelings.
he has much admiration for his brother & sister,
despite how they might treat him.
case in point...
tonight pete took will with him for an errand,
and i took sam & maggie on a different errand.
as we were both returning home,
pete called.
he said will had been such a good boy he was going to get a slurpee.
will was very concerned about sam not getting one,
so much so he had pete call to see what flavor sam wanted.
will is CONSTANTLY trying to please his brother,
and i make a CONSTANT reminder to sam to return the favor & offer equal treatment.
i told sam about how nice will was for thinking of him.
i reminded him how much will loves him,
and i encouraged him to do something equally nice for will.
i could tell he was not fond of that idea.
he was blank.
i offered a suggestion to offer will the stuffed animal that he has been coveting.
not permanently,
just for a day.
silence.
i could tell he wasn't going for it.
instead of arguing,
he just said
"i'll see what i can do."
i was proud & looked forward to see what that would be.
(desperately hoping it would be something big! will deserves it for sure.)
as we were getting out of the van,
sam stole a (meaning 1) mento from maggie,
and he said
"i'll give this to will."
and he did.
will was delighted,
but i must admit i was disappointed.
a stolen mento?
really?
we could all use a bit more of will's unconditional giving spirit.
i'm hoping that a lifetime together will's influence will be more prevelant,
that sam will give more,
and not that will will give less.


side note: after sam gave will the stolen mento he then offered will to play with the new skateboard ramp he bought tonight with his own money. i'm sure in kid world that amounts to something much greater than it seems to me.