Well, it's that time of year again. Fall semester is looming over my head, and I dread the moment when I have to officially leave behind my two little treasures. In the midst of moving and saying my goodbyes, I can't help but feel that I need to remind my two baby siblings of some things for when they find themselves in precarious situations without their big brother to care for them.
1. Mom and dad don't always mean it.
They may scream and shout, but they're actually huge teddy bears underneath all that momentary anger. Whenever you get yelled at, keep a straight face, but don't be scared. (I don't mean this, mom and dad. Please don't stop helping me with my tuition).
2. Mom sometimes means it. When she does, run.
3. If you need money, call mom.
She's always more open to spoiling you, because she loves to see you happy. Don't abuse this insight, though. She works extremely hard, and it's not fair for you to drain her whenever you want a new toy. Work hard if you want something, she'll appreciate it if you do.
4. If you get sick, call dad.
Mom's skeptical about us kids being "sick." It's my fault, I have to admit it. She got too many calls from my school about me being "undeniably sick" whenever I wanted to cut class or miss a test. Dad, however, he's fresh meat. Enjoy.
5. If you get arrested, call me.
Do I need to explain myself? I may be miles away, but I am more than willing to fly over and save you from whichever hole you dug yourself into. Whatever you did, I'll make it disappear.
6. You are beautiful.
I have never seen a pair as beautiful as you two. There is nothing more perfect than your smile, more warm than your kindness, and more lovable than your personalities. We live in a very tough world, so it's essential that you never forget just how unique you both are. I may be biased, but your beauty is indisputable. Don't ever forget that.
7. You are brilliant.
I know second grade math must be making you feel stupid. Trust me, I was there and lived through their subsequent sequels. Nevertheless, I am here to tell you that they are not the end of the world. There is much more to life than math, and there is certainly more to you than a letter grade.
8. I'm thinking about you every single second of every single day. You are my motivation.
As I said before, I am miles away. Still, there is never a moment in which I am not thinking about your squeaky voices and tiny hands. I wake up every day, wishing for the world to treat you both right. You are my one true motivation.
9. I am proud of all your achievements.
One of you got promoted in karate (or whatever branch of that you do, I know you always correct me) and the other got accepted into a fabulous ballet company. You may be both tiny, but you have accomplished so much. Wherever I go, I carry with me the tale of my two siblings and how they will someday conquer the world.
10. I cant wait to see you again.
I count the days to see you both again. And it's sometimes painful to see you grow up without me by your side, but that only makes the payoff after the long months of waiting, so much sweeter.
11. Take care of mom and dad, they need to be babied too.
They're big and are always around to take care of you. Be grateful and pay back the love. Mom and dad have stressful jobs, so it's in your hands to keep them sane. They are the loves of my life, and they should be yours too, so treat them as you would a precious treasure.
12. Take care of yourselves.
The world is a hard place. It's in your hands to be safe and stay away from danger. I don't mean to sound preachy, BUT DONT DO ANYTHING STUPID.
13. Don't fight with each other.
You are all that you have in this world. Fight over the Netflix account, fight over who gets to sleep with mom and dad, but leave it at that. I wont be there to mediate, so it's in your tiny hands to keep the peace between you two.
14. I am always, and I mean always, a phone call away.
I know you know how to use a phone. For God's sake, you guys sent me a selfie all by yourselves a couple of months back. So, when you're scared or sad or even mad, steal mom's phone and give me a call. I will always be so happy to hear from you.
15. This is not a piece of advice, this is a promise: I love you.
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you; I have so much love for you two. I may yell and throw you out of my room from time to time, but you guys are the lights that keep me going. Everything I do, I do it to provide you guys with a good example to follow. Everything I do, I do because there is nothing more fulfilling than seeing my karate master and my baby ballerina thrive and prosper.
