Money challenges brotherliness.

Alan Lewis, chief executive of Grand Circle Travel. Hank Lewis, Alan’s younger brother, who runs Vantage Travel in Boston. Both of them are successful businessman. They were good brothers. They bought a cruise ship together, and purchased a vacation home together on Purgatory Road in Middletown, R.I. They donated several million dollars in honor of their late father to fund the West End Boys & Girls Club in Allston. Alan provided millions of dollars in support of educational, cultural, and humanitarian organizations in Boston.

Last year, Alan borrowed $10 million from his brother Hank Lewis. Alan used the money into his business, but last year’s economy is bad. So Alan couldn’t give back the money to his brother. At last these two brothers suited each other on court.

After I read the news, I felt a little bit sad. People can easily break up the friendship, the brotherliness because of money. This happened to my family too. My grandpa has 4 apartments, each of them are different sizes, he want to give each of his child one apartment as a gift. My other uncles fought with each other to get the biggest apartment, except my Dad, who believes that brotherliness is much more important than money. In the end, my youngest uncle got the biggest apartment. From then on my older uncle has never talked with him. Every time they met, looked like the enemies. My grandpa was so sad, he gave the apartments to his children as gifts, he didn’t want them became enemies. My dad got the smallest apartment but we are happy.

I think for Alan and Hank, 10 million dollars is not a very big deal. They can easily donate several million to a club. For them, it’s not worth become enemies just for 10 million. If they can get together and get through the bad economy, I believe they can earn more money in the future. Hurt each other and no cooperation in the future is too bad.

Now Hank does his own business without his brother. And he is going to get rid of the vacation house which he shares with his brother on Purgatory Road. Just like the husband and wife begin to divorce. Maybe several years later, Hank and Alan will find out that two brothers work together is much better than work alone. And then they can forgive each other and understand each other. As people get older, they will become more mature. They will find out what is more important than money.

I hope they can recover the brotherliness soon.