Brothers-in-arms
One Tree Hill
People, in the search for their real identities, come across many hurdles and obstacles, which often cannot be crossed without some help. And when this help comes in the form of a brother, that is definitely one of the best kinds of help. Be it in the form of mutual support or healthy sibling rivalry that drives them to perform more, the positive impact of a brother is one that cannot be ignored.
Take for example the case of Lucas and Nathan, two half brothers in Star World’s One Tree Hill, who in spite of their father’s preferential treatment, use it as motivation to drive their individual lives and careers. And when your brother is in the same line of business as you are, nothing can beat that, asserts 18-year-old Baba Aparajith, who was part of the Under-19 World cup winning Indian cricket team in 2012. His twin brother Indrajith also plays professional cricket and the sport means the world to them. Says Aparajith, “The best part about having your own brother in the same field as yours is that you get brutally honest feedback. We speak what is on our minds without having to worry how the other person might take it because we know we want each other to become as good as we can get. It’s only natural that we are more like best friends than brothers.”
Positive effects aside, there is also the case of sibling rivalry, a challenge that most parents struggle to cope with. Although it might turn ugly once in a while, sibling rivalry is actually considered to be quite healthy, even in adulthood.
William Hansen, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist at Cincinnati Children Hospital Medical Centre, says that it is inevitable once that second sibling enters the family. He says, “The oldest is suddenly shifted to the sidelines. It can be hard when the new one shows up and everyone is paying attention to the baby. That can set the stage for a lifetime of ill-feeling.”
Comparisons between siblings are inevitable. How do they deal with it? “Take it with a pinch of salt,” says Aparajith. “Not just in our games, but even in our personal lives, people tend to compare. My brother and I have learned to live with it and take the positive out of such unwanted comparisons,” he adds.
For parents, it is all about maintaining equilibrium and a sense of balance, says Maggie, mother of tennis trio Vijay, Anand and Ashok Amrithraj, India’s most prominent and successful family in the tennis circuit. She says, “While all are bound by blood, each of them tend to be so different. So it becomes essential on our part to remain impartial. Even now, Vijay and Anand call each other every day no matter where they are, a bond they formed owing to playing tennis together for over 20 years. No wonder siblings always form the best of teammates.”
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