Maureen Austin

Years of living together. Years of watching each other grow, struggle, fall, rise and become.

If only these walls could talk, they would tell stories of our tears, our laughter, our silent battles, our little beginnings and the victories we once only prayed for.

You have seen me at my lowest and celebrated me at my highest. You have witnessed the pain, the disappointments, the sacrifices, the sleepless nights and the milestones. Through it all, you have been more than a brother. You have been my friend, my support system and one of the most consistent people in my life.

But somewhere between all those years of growing together, I watched you grow too.

I watched the boy I knew become a man. A man with dreams, ambition, courage and a mind of his own. Watching you build your own business and gradually create a life for yourself has given me a different kind of joy. The kind that comes with knowing that someone you love is becoming everything you hoped they would be.

And now, as much as a part of me wishes I could keep you close forever, I know it’s time for you to fly.

It’s time to explore the world, make your own mistakes, win your own battles, build your own legacy and discover just how much greatness you carry inside you.

We have shared a home for so many years, but what we have built goes far beyond living under the same roof. We have built a lifetime of memories, friendship and love.

I hope life is kind to you. I hope your dreams take you to places beyond your imagination. I hope you never lose your good heart, and I pray that everything you put your hands to prospers.

And on the days when life gets difficult, I hope you always remember how far you’ve come and how much you are capable of.

I am so proud of the man you have become, but even more excited about the man you are still becoming.

Happy birthday, my brother. @xerxes_grey

We’ve done life together for so many years. Now it’s time for you to spread your wings and show the world what you’re made of.

No matter how far life takes us, you will always have a home in mine.

Fly, my boy. Fly high. The world is waiting for you.