Dear Big Sister,
Remember all the times we used to fight and tell each other we hated each other? Or how about the times after that, when I started to like you and all I wanted to do was follow you and your friends around? You used to beg mom and dad to make me stay home, but fortunately for me, they would always make you take me along. Remember all the times we would have a dance party in the basement? Or all the times I would make you play Barbie’s with me, even though you were way too old to be playing with them? I remember how we would line up the dolls and take turns picking, but if you picked the doll I wanted I would cry and tell you I didn’t want to play anymore. Although, you would always cave and let me have the doll I wanted. All of these memories have stuck with me throughout the years, but there is something bigger than childhood memories I would like to share with you. It all started after our parents’ divorce. Dad went overseas and mom could barely make it out of bed. Even though I was older, I did not fully understand what was going on. Why wasn’t dad home anymore? Why wouldn’t mom get out of bed? But the biggest question I had was why my sister was the one taking care of me? Little did I know that those moments would be the best years of my life. Sounds crazy right? But because of those moments I got to become closer to you than I ever thought possible.
I would like to say thank you for all of the times you took me to school, all the times you drove me to track practice, and the times you drove me and my friends around town. Thank you for teaching me that boys aren’t worth it, that my friends weren’t always my true friends, to find the good in people, to study hard, and to always follow my dreams. You made me the woman I am today, and I couldn’t thank you more. I learned to appreciate the sacrifices you made for me, like not going out with your friends so that you could make sure I had dinner or I had a ride wherever I needed to go. The sacrifices you made will never be forgotten, and the bond we made during those years won’t be either.
During the beginning of that period we didn’t always get along. We got sick of being around each other 24/7. Although, as time went on I started to love spending that time with you. I loved jamming out in the car on the way to school. I loved those movie nights, or the times we would just sit out by the pool. I loved helping you with dinner, even though I hated cooking. But what I loved most were the times I lost a friend or a boy broke my heart. This may make me sound crazy again, but during those rough times, you were the one by my side. You would sneak into my room while I was in bed crying and you would lay with me. It would take a while for you to force what had happened out of me, but somehow you always did. We would lay in bed together for hours talking about what happened, and you would always tell me I’m better than this, and I deserved better. While laying together and talking you would begin to crack jokes and soon I would forget about what I was just crying over. I never thanked you for those times, but just know they truly made me a stronger and better person and I could not have gotten through that without you.
To this day you still seem to always take care of me, even though I am 18 years old and I am supposed to be an adult. To others, it may not make sense and they may think I need to grow up, but this is just us. I honestly don’t know what I would do without you. Without you to support me, without you to take care of me, and without you as my best friend. You are my everything. You are my sister, you are my second mom, but most of all you are my best friend. So thank you for taking care of me when mom couldn’t and dad wasn’t around and thank you for showing me that the best thing in life is a sister.
Sincerely, your baby sister
