SoulePapa Blogs :: Pirates, Brothers

Bread is broken and torn as the gluttons chew, slurp and belch their way toward a surly contentment.  By nature, a distrusting lot, they hover over their keep like vultures with an eye to the side ready to repel an enemy combatant or a fellow vying for extra scraps.  They sleep.  Heavy and loud but always, always with an ear to the ground, monitoring the perimeter. 

Drawn to battle, like eels to water, trouble finds them quick and often.  They fight and growl and gnash teeth, clashing metal and flesh in an enraged storm of natures most volatile child.  Man. 

When the opportunity to beat another does not present itself, they scrap each other.  Naturally, they are brothers.  Born into a competition of ancient, biblical proportions they are powerless to resist.  But, as hard as they go at it, at no time are they more powerful, more invincible as when they fight back to back.  Swords arching to defend the family against all that comes.   

When things look bleak, their knees weakened and the end near, look closely, you'll see the most amazing thing of all.  They are smiling. 

Comments

[Bex]

"They are smiling."
& so am I...

[athena]

delurkiung to say wow, fantastic post

[Eren]

As a mother of three boys, you have captured the complex relationship perfectly, the best of friends and the worst of enemies (not really, but they pretend). Thank you for this and give your sweet wife an encouraging hug from all of us if you would. We are thinking of her this morning.

[Tere]

Hi Steve,
I've been reading your posts as they come in, and I just had to comment at this one. You were meant to be a writer. That was really amazing.
Take care,
Tere

[ellen]

Dear Amanda.....while I miss your lovely posts, I have to say that Steve is doing a great job!!! What a talented family you have.

[emily]

i am loving these soule papa blog posts!

[Qalballah]

*Sniffles* Thankyou for that post Steve. Very timely - my two have begun to take chunks out of each other on a daily basis and it was wearing me down - but reading this? It's been put all into perspective.

"Born into a competition of ancient, biblical proportions they are powerless to resist." Of course - why didn't I see this before.

Truly a wonderful post.
Thankyou

xx

[Madeline R]

Yep. I have two boys and clearly, it must be a universally intense phenomenon! You need to write a book. Well, no, just write on your new blog when Amanda returns here ; ) Then we don't have to wait for editing,, publishing, all that drawn out stuff. Please? We can pay.

[camerashymomma]

you are a wonderful storyteller! albeit truth, it makes for a great story too (as with all life i suppose). love the picture by the way!

[Libby]

hee, hee, while it all sounds fun for a couple of seconds- I'm glad I have girls :)

[Jessica Keith]

I love, love, love little boys living out their adventures! You captured the feeling so well.

[Megan]

I have never seen a post that tells a greater truth!! LOL!

I often ask from the front of the car, "why, boys, why????"

[Megan]

I have never seen a post that tells a greater truth!! LOL!

I often ask from the front of the car, "why, boys, why????"

[Megan]

sorry....my computer hiccuped

[Jude]

Argh Me Hearties! Very convincing looking pirate ye have thar!

[Anne]

I am going to watch for that smile...as a mom I want to stop the battle, maybe I am missing something.

[Heather]

Aye Cap'n, ye words be true north. Arrrgggh.

[Stefani]

Ah, boys. You could have been writing about mine. So fun to see the Papa's perspective. And um... is the wine the trick to getting them to sleep so hard? ;-)

[SoulePapa]

anne - the smiles will come. with my brother and me they came later, as older teenagers. but now, nobody has my back better than my bro ;)
hang in there!

[Jennifer]

Soule Papa needs his own blog. My hubby and I would read it.

This was awesome!

[Suzanne]

Steve, Your writing kills me...I absolutely love the way you tell your family stories !

[Lovie]

That was just the best post I've read anywhere in a long time.

[Claudia]

Nothing more to be said, than a hearty 'Aaarh'! SP - please, please, PLEASE start up your own blog! You kill us, in the most incredible way.

[Helena B]

awesome post & totally digging the Greg Norman!

[Carrie]

I love that photo! Great post.

[Julie]

I'm loving the SoulePapa posts and I hope SouleMama's getting plenty of work done.

My favorite here is the Greg Norman wine. I had no idea...

[Robyn]

I love how you write! And you have such an amazing relationship with your children. I don't know how much you were in Amanda's The Creative Family, but you definitely have some great perspective as a father and I think there's an audience (beyond the internet) for what you might have to say.

[blackbird]

I am a daily lurker - coming out today to tell you how much I love your blog...

[Nelly]

Definitely you have to start your own blog. Althought the way you write, I mean the words you use are sometimes difficult (english is a second language for me) but I'll have the dictionary by my side. You have so many lessons to give to all of us, Soule fans.

[MaShelly]

and what say the fair maiden miss A, about all this commotion?

I do hope you have a childrens book seris in the making..say you do

[Angel]

Great posts Soulepapa!

[Plumtickled]

What lucky boys to have a Papa like you! Love the writing......... very much!

[sadira]

Thank you for sharing your amazing observations of your family...I tear up everytime I visit when you "guest blog" You guys have such an amazing family...

And, I only had one sister, and while we finally started the smiling, it wasn't until years later...after a lot of eye rolling, arm crossing, and food stomping...

[Gretchen]

Oh, SoulePapa, I love your posts. Love yours, too, Mama, but it's a nice change from the mostly-women blogs I read. Plus, the photos are to die for.

Delurking courtesy of Delurk Day; I'm participating, and you can read more at my blog, http://mind-flush.blogspot.com.

Back to commenting on more of the bajillion blogs I enjoy daily and never bother to post on ...

[tifanie]

God, that was beautiful. No, seriously. You have a talent. That was beauuuutiful. :)

[robin]

SoulePapa, I don't know what your day job is, but something tells me if you ever have a yen to quit... well, let's just say you have a mecca of fans right here who would buy your books by the volumes!!! 'Tis true, Matey!!!! And keep going, Amanda!!! We're rootin' for ya!! <3

[Jodie]

Dear soulemama,
I do fear you had best return before all the ladies in blogland fall in love with your papa, and his love for his children, his love for you. Seriously Mr soule mama, You rock writing !!!

[jean]

Ha! Love Jodie's comment. Love the piece, Soulebro.

[fiveflowers]

so sweet! and that photo rocks! It is an all-time pirate picture! What a great family you all make [but you knew that one already...]!

[Lin]

wow

[Suzanne]

This has to be the cutest picture I have seen in a long time. Love your blog.

[tricia]

um, could you write a book please?

[Jeff Keith]

Great Post!! With two boys of my own I love you pirate story!!!

[MamaOutThere]

Dear PapaSoule,

Sisters are just as good!
http://images.photo.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp332%3Enu%3D3237%3E%3B35%3E294%3EWSNRCG%3D3232%3B%3B5%3B%3A%3A99%3Bnu0mrj