Dear cousin,

You are four years older than but that is enough to make you my older brother. You were the first child born and then me. When we were younger we were attached at the hip. We did everything together. Even when I got on your nerves you were still there for me. Of course when we were young we did everything together, go to amusement parks, spend the night at each others houses. You were my first best friend and you have always been my older brother. I was an only child and I had always loved the idea of having that older protective brother. But since I was an only child at the time I would never get that.

Except I did. We were best friends for a long time but of course as we grew up we drifted.But we didn’t drift from being close but the dynamic changed. You went from being my best friend to being my older brother. We were still close just in a different way. I mean, we weren’t attached at the hip anymore and I missed that,You also would ignore me when your girlfriend was around but you were a high school and you were too cool for you lame middle school cousin. But soon things settled and we fell into the brother sister relationship. You have seen me through and helped me through my awkward stages and have loved me just the same. You love to tease me like an older brother should. We banter just like siblings do. You are my overprotective older brother too. You always ask if I have a boyfriend and when I said no you would tell me to keep it that way. I know that if someone was to ever hurt me, you would be there for me in a heartbeat. Knowing that is one of the greatest feelings.

I know we don’t see each other that often but when we do it reminds me of how lucky I am to call you family and have you as two roles in my life. My cousin and my honorary older brother. I love that whenever I get out to see you, you always treat me like a sister. We were the first two born on this side of the family, meaning when we were both old enough we got the same dumb tasks put on us at family get togethers. That we were the ones forced to sit a kids table during holidays. But we grew up together and I could have asked for a better cousin and brother than you.

So thank you from the bottom of my heart for being there for me when I needed you most and thank you for making sure I always have known that you would have my back whenever I needed you. I can’t imagine going through life without you by my side. Thank you for being my first best friend, my cousin and my brother. It means more to me than you will ever know.