To my big sister,
No, we are not twins. We are 778 days apart. We live 314 miles apart. We attend different universities. Yet, you are still my best friend and my biggest supporter. You are the person who motivates me on a daily basis and brings out the best version of myself. You are my big sister. Looking back, I do not think I have been as appreciative as I I should be for all that you have done and continue to do for me.
I wanted to be just like you
You are the classic definition of a big sister. Always telling me what to do and what to believe. So when you told me that I was adopted and from Mars, I could not help but believe you. It probably did not help that mom and dad could not find my birth certificate. Having that classic big-sister to little-sister relationship, there was an ongoing fight over attention and who got what. I was that annoying little sister who constantly wanted to be just like you and have your attention. If you jumped off the swing, so did I, even if I landed on a rock and broke my leg. And when you had friends over, I would pretend that we shared a room because I wanted to hang out with you. Regardless of what it was, whatever you had and whatever you were doing, I wanted to be just like you.
Thank you for standing up for me
We used to fight for hours and pull each other's hair, but at the end of the day, we were always there for each other. Nobody was allowed to mess with the other one, besides each other of course. You checked in on me and watched over me at school. Despite the constant fighting, I knew I could count on you. We were not exactly best friends, but we always defended each other and stuck by the other's side.
I made my first friend into my best friend
When people say that your sister is your built-in best friend, I disagree. It was a long process for us to become best friends, but it was worth the wait. Mom and dad never forced us to be best friends, but rather we developed that relationship on our own. When we were young, we were friends because we did not know any different. Because rather than being forced best friends, we now choose to be best friends. Whether we are jamming in the car to Pop2k or planning parties while mom and dad are away, you always seem to be the person right by my side. You are my number one and partner in crime. You are the person who I count down the days until I see.
It was hard to constantly be compared
When we were younger, there was always some sense of a competition between us since we are only two years apart. We used to take offense when people asked if we were twins or when people said we were so similar. I wanted nothing more than to be my own person. As we matured, we did everything we could to be different from one another and establish our own identity. Yet, we were still compared to each other and asked if we were twins. Now that I am in college, I am in a new atmosphere, where most of the people in my life do not know who you are. I am no longer your little sister or the mini version of you, but rather my own person. We have the chance to create our own identities and to not be compared. As I continue to develop my individual identity, I see how we have our own interests, yet our core values are still the same. Somehow, we are so different but so similar at the same time. I guess that's the cool thing about having a sister.
Being apart, I realize how lucky I am to have you
Seeing all that you have accomplished, I cannot help but feel like the younger version of myself who wanted to be just like you. And I can only hope that one day I will be just like you. Rather than taking it as an insult, I take it as a compliment when people compare me to you and say we are so similar. I am lucky to be your little sister and the mini version of you, even if I am taller than you. I continue to learn from you and become a better person. You are my role model and my rock. You inspire me to work hard and live my best life. So, in case I do not say it enough, thank you.
