If you've been on social media lately then you've seen the flood of pictures from graduations, awards programs, weddings, championship games.....you name it.  A lot of big moments happen in May.   Milestones reached.  Hard work rewarded.  

You can't help but think of all the siblings out there who've temporarily been pushed back into the shadows by a brother or sister's big moment......eclipsed by their big heads blocking all the light.  Yes, those annoying siblings who have sucked all of the family's time and energy and left you feeling cold out in the dark.    

Yeah, it's the little brother of the graduate who's had to dress up a lot and listen to a bunch of long speeches while his mother cries, looks through pictures, and gets all sentimental about every little thing.  It's the sister of the Eagle scout who doesn't see what the big deal is with all those patches and wishes they'd made this big of a thing out of the time she placed third in the science fair.   It's the brother who's listened to the nauseating details of his sister's upcoming wedding for so long that he feels like he might vomit.  It's the sister of the all-star pitcher who finds herself sitting on metal bleachers every, single weekend of her life eating hamburgers and cheese fries so he can get a scholarship.  These are the children in the shadows.  They're like moths who fly around looking for their way back to the light. 

Oh, sure, their time in the dark is temporary and won't cause any permanent harm.......but there's nothing more annoying to siblings than "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia" moments in life.   
At our house, the last couple of weeks have revolved around Blair and her graduation and moving her out of her apartment and getting her all set to start her new job.  Meanwhile, Carson has been off to the side, wandering around, or following along behind smothered by her cap and gown and swallowed up by all of its glory. 

Oh, I remember times like that.  It happened to all of us if we had siblings.  When my older brother got his Eagle Scout badge, there were banquets and receptions and presentations and photographers.  For a couple of weeks there, I'm not sure my parents could've come up with my name if they'd had to.  "Hey, you, over there......yeah, you, the one who's not getting her Eagle scout."  Of course, being the middle child, eclipses seemed to happen a lot.  The oldest brother was always doing something impressive and the youngest was always doing something adorable and I just wandered around in the middle running into things and being average. 

So, today, I want to just say to all of the forgotten brothers and sisters out there.......come back to the light.   It will take your eyes a little while to adjust but it's time for you to reclaim your place. You've lingered in the shadows long enough.  Inform your brother that it's time to dismount his high horse.  Tell your sister to get her big head out of your way.