Hi Buddy,
This is your first best friend, second mom and big sister talking. I wanted to personally write you a thank you letter because you are way more important to me than anyone else in this world.
First off, I wanted to thank you for putting up with me as your sister the last 15 years. As hard as it is for me to believe that you're 15-years-old, and continuously getting older, I think I've come to conclusion that I will never accept it. It's scary to me how fast time has gone and how fast it will go by in the next few years. You're in tenth grade now, but I'm going to blink and you'll be a senior. I want to give you a few tips and tricks on life while you still think I'm cool enough to listen to. Now, I know we are polar opposite, and I've shown you a lot that you don't want to do in life, but I promise I still have plenty of important things to say. And for the people reading, by "showing him what not to do" in life doesn't mean I'm a terrible influence and have been harming myself or my body. It just means he and I are very different, and that's okay.
Remember when we were little, and we would play dinosaurs in your bedroom, or Barbies in mine? Or how about when we would build forts and never pick them up until a week later? Remember when you ran me over with the lawn mower AND the four-wheeler? Remember when you hit me in the mouth with the hoe when we were building a snow house? Remember when you got me in trouble all those years because I told you not to tell mom, but you did anyway? Remember when we would go for walks when we lived in Watkins and stay up all night talking? Remember when I put a green bean in your milk for dinner, and mom made me drink it? Remember when we would play Guitar Hero every day after school so we could beat levels and earn more songs? Remember when we went tubing, and you got pulled under because you didn't sit on the tube right? Remember when I made you so mad in Florida and you started chasing me around our resort? I remember all of those things like they were yesterday.
I remember you growing up. I remember making you play Barbies with me because I was the only girl in the family—literally. I remember getting in trouble so many times because you would always tell the truth and I was the kid who lied. I remember you being such a good influence on ME as the younger sibling. I remember how close we were and how close we still are. As you get older, I hope we continue this great relationship we have as siblings because we are not like others. We have been through so much together, and there is no one else that knows me like you do. I think about my wedding all the time and ask myself who I would have as my maid-of-honor, but I always wonder if I should just have you as my man-of-honor.
I have so many wishes for you as you continue to grow up and become your own person. Some good, some bad because hey, we all know I'm the better looking, favorite kid, right? No, I truly wish you the best in life because you deserve nothing less.
I wish you are able to finish high school knowing you were true to yourself and didn't change for anyone.
I wish you happiness in the next few years.
I wish you will go out and TP not only because it's Homecoming, but because some of my favorite memories of high school are when we went out TPing.
I wish you will go to at least one or two high school parties, and understand what drugs and alcohol are. I know you've seen enough growing up, but adults with alcohol are different than teenagers with alcohol.
I wish you the best driving record because I haven't had one.
I wish you a few girlfriends here and there before graduating because you need heartbreak in your life. You need to open up and be completely torn down so you know how to grow in love, and respect people that will genuinely take care of you because they want to.
I wish you late nights and lots of crammed homework assignments. Everyone needs to experience that once so you never do it again.
I wish you luck with sports and art activities.
I wish you're exposed to many different types of sports and arts so you can find which suits you perfectly.
I wish you find peace and faith with some higher being in this world.
I wish you get accepted into the college of your dreams like I did, and maybe, find out it's not for you so you can venture around and find where you belong.
I wish you a healthy sense of being. I hope you never have to deal with medical problems like I do.
(P.s. My eyes are leaking super bad during this article, so thank you for being so special—dang it!)
I wish you a fun graduation night that you can spend one last Hoorah! with your best friends before you go away to school—if that's what you wish to do.
I wish you a healthy college experience and that you easily find where you belong in the workforce.
I wish you to find the best woman to be a wife that will love you for you, and give you the gift of being a father. I know you'll be a great one!
I wish you to live your life the way you want regardless of what others may say because people will say a lot and it can be tough sometimes.
I wish you to know you will always have a second home with me. I don't care how old you are, where you are, what you're doing, who you're with. You will always have somewhere to call home with me.
I wish you an amazing, love-filled life that you will always remember.
You have grown to be such an amazing human being, and it excites me to wonder where you will go from here. You're only beginning your story in this life, and the rest of the pages are for you to write. Don't be afraid to mess up. Hell, I've messed up a lot! But it has made me stronger as a person and I know it will do the same for you. Don't be afraid to ask for help as much as you need, and don't be afraid to feel like you've failed. I'll tell you right now, everyone you are surrounded with right now is in the same boat, and no one is better than you. Also remember, you are not better than any one of them either. Stay true to you, but respect others so they know you deserve respect too.
I am so proud to be your sister, and you remind me of that every day. I'm so lucky to have you in my life. I really hope you know how special you are. I'll love you forever. I'll love you forever, I'll probably not like you, but I'll try, for always, as long as I'm living, my baby brother you'll be.
Love, Me. xoxo.