To my sister,
Life has its funny way of shoving us in different directions, I suppose. Though it may seem that life is strictly about routine, about finding a pattern you are comfortable with and then sticking to it… this is certainly not the case.
You hope to keep the ones you love close, and the negativity far, and you hope to stable yourself in any new situation. I have to say, however, that life is all about adjustments, about taking to the new world with an open mind and an open heart. I’m in a new world right now after all, and it’s taking some getting used to. Undoubtedly, the hardest part of this adjustment is being away from you.
Growing up with you there my whole life was a heart filling and fantastic experience. Spending time with you- walking to Shoprite down the block to get freezer-burned cheesecake, playing "Mario Kart," making strange noises and making those strange noises rhyme- all of those experiences were so normal, so natural, so daily, that I forgot I would be forced to miss them. I know that I’ll be coming home on certain weekends to say hello and to become adjusted once again, but I didn’t expect this transition without you to be as strange as it feels.
There was no doubt in my mind that I was ready to leave New Jersey. Sure, the Garden State is beautiful and there’s so much to do in the area we live in, but regardless, growing up means finding new adventures. Despite the fact that I was eager to finally get away from the environment I had been in my entire life, I was, very early on, reminded of the fact that this journey I am taking would be pretty far away from you.
Walking through New York City is a unique adventure each time it is done; nothing you see is ever truly the same each time. Certainly, I am meeting new friends and having plenty of fun with those people, however, I am almost always stopping myself from making a joke that only you would understand. I see millions of different people on the daily, and even in the strangest cases, I am reminded of you.
Truth is, I love college more than anything, but I can’t wait to come home and see you again. You are thriving in high school, and I’m so proud of you in all that you are doing; whether it be simply grades, or dancing your butt off at the studio. I can not wait to simply sit on the couch with you, and complain that there’s no food in the house. All of these simple, painful, and hilarious experiences; they’re a part of us growing up, and I do miss them a lot. Even if all of these missed memories and habits seem strange, they’re very, very real.
On the other hand, however, I can not wait for you to be able to experience all of the opportunities life has for you in the future. Your high school experience, your college life, finding a new location, a new destination of unknown adventures, it’s all inevitable for you. Speaking from my experience so far, you are going to kick butt in all you do, and though I cannot share this experience with you side by side, I know you are going to love it.
