I love to see you go but I hate to watch you leave

Ok post #1 of the catch up. As most of you know at this point, my little brother left for Marine Corp Boot Camp on June 17th (yes I have been drafting this post for that long lol). Since that time, I have given much thought to the subject of 'leaving.' Many times, people come in and our of our lives- but it is when we have to say goodbye or 'see you later' to family or loved ones that the struggle seems appears. Especially in my case, there is something about seeing a younger sibling leave that is more unsettling than anything else. And in the same vain, seeing senior family members at a moment of weakness also leaves a not-so-great feeling. But there is something to recognize here that I have finally realized- when we say goodbye for now, we are essentially forced to turn to others. Though we know we will see the person again who is departing, this sort of leaving allows us to renew and replenish the relationships we have with others around us. Since my brother has left, we have formed a little community, a sort of supportive camp if you will here at home base. From Facebook and Tumblr updates to hand written letters everyday- myself, my family, and my brother's friends (many of which him and I would both agree are more like family) have come together to make sure that we are showing Mike as much love and support as possible. All because of this one kid (who I am sure had no idea how much he meant to so many people before he shipped out) we have all united as one in his cause. The point here is not whether or not I miss him because that is of course a no-brainer. But, now that we have all settled into the idea of him being gone for a bit and he has gotten over the hump-  I am able to view the situation a bit more clearly. I can see that Mike leaving is great for him because he is experiencing something that is going to make him into the man that he will most likely be like for the rest of his life. And it is also great for all of us- it brought a community of somewhat strangers and a family of individuals together. I also know that by only being able to write my brother our bond is growing stronger as siblings because we are depending upon one another in ways which we have never before. In the end, am thankful for the change because it has certainly shown me how truly grateful and proud I am of this kid.
This one is for you brobro bear :)
xoxo AA