Sixth Former Chase Carter, of Medway, MA, addressed the School community at Church Assembly on Thursday, April 20, 2017. Chase's talk is titled, "Living in the Shadow of my Brother."

For those of you who don't know me, I am Chase Carter, prefect of Leonard's, a lover of football, or for those with a sense of humor, the guy whose laundry got messed with earlier this year. I know for many of you this is just another church talk, taking 15 minutes out of your day. Trust me I feel for you. I'd rather be anywhere but here, especially today. But what I want to say is pretty important, at least to me. Have you ever felt overshadowed? As if you don't measure up to the people around you? That you aren't smart enough, good-looking enough, athletic enough, talented enough? I come from a family with three children: my brother Bailey, the oldest; my sister Riley the youngest; and me, the middle child. For those of you only children out there, here's a glimpse into the life of a middle child. The youngest is the prince or princess. Everything they want, they get, except trouble. They never get in trouble. That's because at this point the older children have worn the parents down. They're too tired for discipline, and besides, who wants to punish the precious baby, the last one before the nest is empty? But the oldest child? They're the first and foremost, the CEO of the kids. As my brother likes to say to our mother and father, "I made you a parent." They are the role models, the trailblazers for the younger siblings.

Now if you're a middle child, you know the deal. The afterthought. The one trying to fill the shoes the oldest left behind. That's me.

Bailey got all the athletic genes from my dad. Riley got the talent for singing from my mom and my dad. Both Bailey and Riley got good looks, I got a better than average brain, and a potato shaped body. My dad is a fanatic for sports, so I hear a lot of, "Bailey is always practicing. Bailey is fast and strong, Bailey's team always wins. Be like Bailey." Even here at school I am in his shadow. Whenever I meet a teacher, they always hear my last name, and say, "Oh...you're HIS brother." BAM, I am immediately labeled as a potential problem child, though you all know that I am simply the nerdy kid who talks a bit too loud. In class, I'm That Guy—the one with his hand up too often, or blurting out the answers without getting called on. I'm not cool enough to get into trouble like Bailey. My brother is off at college, and I might be a college athlete next year at the University of Rochester. But Bailey was a college athlete first.

But hey, while it looks like I'm complaining, I'm not. Because in reality I loved having my brother around. That's the point. I admired him, and he gave me something to strive for. Take, for example, my hair. Just last week I decided to start actually doing something nice with my hair. Check it out. People were really shocked by the change. In fact, other than Kate Kelly calling me Pag, the first compliment I got was people saying I looked like my brother. Now, that made me feel happy, because he was a stylish person, with his hair and clothes always on point. So, to hear that I looked like Bailey meant I looked somewhat good, for once.

So, to finish this up, I know how it feels to be in someone's shadow, and how it's the worst to be compared to them. So, for those of you out there that know what it's like to be overshadowed, let me offer my own perspective. There are advantages to being in the shade. It gives you a little cover, a chance to grow without the sun beating straight down on you. When it's time to shoot up or set yourself apart, you'll be ready. By then, you may be throwing a little shade for someone else -- someone who admires you without you knowing it. Look up to those who overshadow you as role models, and be a good role model for those now in your own shadow. It's not a bad thing to measure yourself against taller trees. It gives you something to strive for, and as you do, to become somebody others may aspire to be.

Thank you.