Dealing with siblings can be tough…

And as you get older and you try to make your way in the world, there can be some resentment and some hostility if one brother or sister in a family happens to be doing better than another.

There’s a reason why the term “sibling rivalry” exists, after all.

And, if you happen to have siblings, you know rivalries can take hold, too.

In this story, a man is having some inner conflict because his brother’s art career hasn’t gone as planned…and now he’s been offered a job as an illustrator and he’s not sure what to do next.

Check out what he had to say in  the story below.

Should I turn down a job in my brother’s dream field?

“I have a brother (younger), and ever since I started working, I’ve been supporting him with the idea that he should stay free, focus on himself, and pursue his dreams.

This guy sounds like a generous brother.

He wants to be a painter. So I paid for courses to help him achieve his dream, plus extra prep courses to get into art university. He accepted all of that, but he got rejected from the university several times.

Then he told me he didn’t want to go there, that it was my dream for him. I said it was just one path to reach his dream. I thought he had given up after all the rejections, but eventually I accepted his decision.

I kept looking for other ways for him to break into the art world and shared them with him. He didn’t like any of them. Then I paid for an artist residency that offered a chance to get a manager at the end. He took it, got a manager, but during the trial period, nothing came of it.

He told me he would keep trying to pursue his dream.

No one likes to get blindsided like this.

BUT, I lost my job. Now I can’t pay for his courses, supplies, anything. So he had to start working, which devastated me because I couldn’t help him anymore.

Right now, he’s just paying for our food. He said he’d save up money to keep trying, as well I’m looking for a job.

Then it occurred to me that I could get a job as a “illustrator”, since it’s easy and could be a side hustle while I find something better.

I got accepted.

Can you blame the guy for being conflicted about this?

Now I feel incredibly guilty because this is his dream, to be a painter, and I landed a job doing what he wants. I don’t know if I should reject the offer.

Am I being a jerk?

It feels so unfair that he’s paying for my food and I’m about to start working in a field he loves. Also, while he’s working, I’d have the time to pursue this opportunity.

By the way, I’m afraid to tell him because someone from his residency is finding success right now, and my brother is really hurt and bitter. Obviously, he’d feel that same resentment toward me.

I feel the weigh of find income already to take that burden off him so he can keep looking opportunities to chaise his dream.”

And this is how readers reacted.

This person had a lot to say.

Another individual spoke up.

This Reddit user shared their thoughts.

Another person said they’re NTA.

And this person spoke up.

In my humble opinion, this guy has to do what’s best for him and his future.

Yes, it can be tough to see a sibling struggle, but every person has to deal with their own challenges.

And it’s not fair to expect someone to give something up because it’s not working out for you.

Hey, life is tough…and life definitely isn’t fair!

But we persevere and do our best.

This guy might be a little TOO concerned with his brother’s life and not his own…