Dear Built in Best Friend,

I had this pretty sweet deal called being an only child for two years. Then 16 years ago you had the audacity to come along and make me a big sister. And even if I wasn’t too happy at the time, the day you showed your chubby little face on this earth was one of the best days of my life.

I wanted to say I’m sorry for all the names I called you, even the ones you don’t remember. I didn’t have a reason to be so mean, I was jealous and that brought out my not so nice side, more often than not.

I want to apologize for all the times I tried to get you in trouble, especially when it worked. I made you a scapegoat for the trouble we both created, for years. Even at the time, I felt sort of guilty…but not guilty enough to confess.

I wish I could take back everything I said that made you feel less than absolutely gorgeous. I knew how much it hurt you when I said how bad those clothes looked on you. I knew what you wanted me to say. You wanted me to tell you how pretty I thought you were and I made sure you felt like you could never be good enough, even if that’s the farthest thing from the truth.

I’m sorry for all the fights I’ve picked with you over the years, just because I was in a bad mood and I knew how to push your buttons. They never made me feel any better, but if I was in a bad mood, I never let you be happy. I’m sorry I took that away from you.

Most of all I want to say that I am so incredibly sorry for every time that I said I wished you weren’t my sister. You are the best sister I could ever ask for, even when I was the meanest person in the world to you.

10 years ago we were yelling and screaming at each other in our bedroom. Today we laugh and sing in the car together. I’m not really sure when all that began to change, but I wouldn’t be who I am today if it hadn’t. You’re my built in best friend, and no matter what, you’ve stuck by me and I wouldn’t trade that for the world.

All my love,

Your Built-In Best Friend

P.S. I’m also sorry for that time I bit your thumb when you were a year old and too young to remember, that mom never found out about.