When you give a girl an older cousin it shows her what having an older sister would have been like.

The staying up all night and gossiping. The sisterly fights that would have happened. The ability to go to someone for advice that isn't mom.

When you give a girl an older cousin, it shows her what not having to be solely responsible feels like.

What not having to do everything perfectly because you've got younger sisters who look up to you.

Not having to be the scapegoat for everything because your parents saw some of it with your cousin.

When you give a girl an older cousin, you give her someone to look up to and admire.

Sure she likes it that her sisters see her as a role model, but what about a role model for her?

That position goes to the cousin.

When you give a girl an older cousin, you give her something to look forward to in potential family reunions.

From the stories of the two of you as kids to "sneaking" wine at your sister's Quince,

having an older cousin means no event is boring.

When you give a girl an older cousin, you give her someone to visit.

Whether less than an hour away when they're kids or on separate ends of the country as adults,

the weekends of vacations spent together are always worth waiting for.

When you give a girl an older cousin, you give her someone to learn from—mistakes and all.

You push the girl to be the best that she can.

When you give a girl an older cousin, you give her not just a cousin, but a sister. Someone to laugh with. Someone to fight with. Someone to lean on when you don't know where else to go. You give her someone to depend on.