About two months ago, my bother Rick Andersohn found me here on ActiveRain. He used Google to do a name search and the rest became history today! When I was 5 years old, my brother and I were separated from each other due to one of those unfortunate events in life we all hate called divorce. I had looked for my brother Rick for so many years, and at this point in my life, I was ready to give up, throw in the towel, and come to terms with knowing that I'd never see him again!
Today, after more than 40 years, two brothers were reunited in one of those special moments that stopped time!! OMG!! Finally, I'd be coming face to face with a complete stranger yet knowing he is my brother. I don't even know who he is, or what he looks like. I wouldn't know where to begin if I had to explain some of the thoughts and emotions that I have experienced these past few days. It all led up to just one moment in time, 11:00am Today!
This photo was captured by my 11 year old son who had never seen or knew he had an Uncle. As my wife and I sat there anxiously waiting for Rick to arrive, it was really weird. I realized that my mind and body could actually produce nerves that I never knew existed. LOL!~ Just then, in walked Rick! A stranger, my brother, is this for real?? The world went silent, everything went into slow motion, and as we met for the very first time, I walked up and hugged him, told him that I loved him, and almost started to cry... It was an experience you just can't imagine unless you've been through it, or were there!
On April 20, 2008, I realized that 40 years in the desert is a LONG TIME! I once read in a best selling book somewhere, that once upon a time, some people were left lost in a desert for 40 years. Now I know what that feels like, and what I think it really means, at least for me. This morning, my brother got to meet my Gorgeous Wife, his little nephew Brandon, that will carry on the Andersohn name, and Me, his long lost little brother. What an awesome and extraordinary day!! It almost felt like Oprah or Dr. Phil would come walking in at any moment! LOL!~
We had so much to talk about and yet we never really even scratched the surface. There is so much to share, stories, adventures, life's challenges, old times, and then there's the questions. Awwww the Questions?!? I'm sure your imagination can run wild with that one. My brother is alive, he's well, and he's only an hour away. Can you believe that? 40 years go by, and for 14 of them, he has lived within 60 miles of me and I didn't even know it.
Here's an obvious lesson I learned today! Love strangers as if they were your brother! You never know, they just might be!
I never would have thought in a million years, that authoring a Blog on ActiveRain would help my Brother and Google find me one day. Just two guys with the same last name, total strangers, just a few miles apart, once brothers, and after many lost years, now best friends!! He's my Brother Rick! I Love ya Bro!
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