Growing up as the youngest sibling was a blessing and a curse. When I was younger, it seemed like the worst curse to ever be placed on me. I was constantly seeing my two older sisters get to do cool things that only "older kids" were able to. Not only was I left out a lot of the time, I was usually the butt of all the jokes. I was constantly being told I was adopted, since my sisters were (and still are) blonde, and I have brown hair. I was made fun of for bad haircuts, outfits, makeup, you name it. The fact that my parents only had me because they wanted a boy didn't help the teasing, either.
My oldest sister is seven years older than me, and my other sister is four years older than me. When we were little, it felt like we were generations apart. We never understood each other, and were constantly fighting. The amount of times I thought about running away (but decided against it, because my mom would be sad) is kind of ridiculous. The times weren't all bad, though; we had fun sometimes doing various activities. When we ended up getting on each other's nerves, my parents usually had to step in as mediators.
One of my sisters got married on June 14, 2019, and my other sister and I were right by her side as "Co-Maid of Honors."
The first time I truly realized how important my sisters were to me was when I was getting picked on in middle school. They were both at my side with comforting words and helpful advice. I knew that they would be the only ones to truly understand me, and that has been true for so many instances following that day. Since then, and as we got older, the age gap between my sisters didn't seem to be as large as it seemed previously. Sometimes, you wake up one day and things just seem to be different. The day I woke up and my sisters and I understood each other's references, could hold an intelligent conversation about politics, and collectively made fun of my dad, I knew things were different than they were just a few years, or even months, prior. My relationship with my sisters blossomed with maturity, but I wouldn't change the memories I made growing up with them for anything.
Being a woman is challenging for countless reasons. It is so tiring, it is easy to feel defeated, and sometimes it seems like it would be easier to give up the fight. However, every time I feel like I want to cave, I look up to my sisters. When I look at them, I know that the fight is worth it. When I reflect on my childhood, I can always recall my sisters' strength and perseverance through every situation. I recall their activism, and always caring about things that I wasn't even aware of that mattered. I still may not know how important some things are if it wasn't for them. I am who I am because of my sisters. Their actions taught me to care about equality for everyone and to never stop fighting until we get it. They taught me to love everyone for who they are and try to help those in need. Most importantly, they taught me how to be a good sister, and return the amazing favors that they shared with me without even realizing it.
My sisters, me, and our honorary brother, Tots.
When you have a sister, you have a support system, a best friend, a partner in crime, and someone to have your back at all times. I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have two. I have never had, and never will have, a friend who understands me and loves me unconditionally as my sisters do. Although we may not have gotten along the best when we were little, I would not change anything about my sisters for anything in this world.
