Mending Fences

Got a call from my older brother last Thursday... he just got home from a 25 day trip with his fiance to Iceland, Holland, Jerusalem, and Amsterdam... He had a great time. He left a message on my answering machine that he had a gift for me. So naturally I set up a time to stop by his place. It was Friday morning 6 am. I had just gotten off work and he was preparing for his day with some hot java...
He shared with me about his adventurous trip with some post cards and maps. He then handed me a small bag with something in it.
We laughed because he told me it cost him an arm and a leg, the reason I laughed was because I said, "why is it wrapped in a plastic bag if it cost an arm and a leg? You couldn't spring for wrapping paper!?" :)
We laughed because it is a "guy" thing not to wrap a gift.
Inside was a small statuette, hand carved figure of Jesus. He picked it up in Jerusalem from an Armenian Christian. It is carved from an Olive Tree from the Mt. of Olives. My brother related the story that he had been searching for something that would have meaning to me form Jerusalem... all he kept seeing was touristy junk, as he put it. He was in a small store and looked around and said to the proprietor, "this is all junk man." The proprietor yelled to a fellow, "hey, go get the good stuff, and well My brother picked out what you see pictured above.
Pretty cool.
Next Sunday marks the three year anniversary of our younger brother's death.
It was an ugly, family affair where I put my foot in my mouth and alienated everyone. My older brother, who just bought me the nice gift, told me at the time to never set foot on his property again and that he dis owned me.
We have been slowly building the bridge between us.
To me, it is not so much that the gift is a hand carved statue of Jesus from an olive tree from the Mt. of Olives, as it is the wonderful peace offering gesture of love and forgiveness. A statement from my brother that he loves me, was thinking of me from thousands of miles away, and put so much time, thought, and effort into picking out something that he feels has meaning for me.
Now the proverbial ball is in my court.