I have been lucky enough to be the youngest of three siblings. I have an older brother and an older sister. I'm even luckier to call both of them two of my best friends. Growing up, I've always been seen as the baby of the family. As much as I hated it then, I have learned to love it. From being compared to them all throughout grade school, to being told I look just like them, I embrace all of it. Growing up with two older siblings, they taught me a lot about life, love, and enjoying the ride. With their influences, I have learned so many lessons that I never would have learned without them.
1. Never take life too seriously.
Every day, at least 20 times a day, siblings make fun of each other. When we were younger, we always took it to heart. But growing up with their influence, our siblings have taught us that it's okay to laugh at yourself sometimes. Jokes aren't always out to hurt us, sometimes only to lighten the mood.
2. Your family will always support you.
No matter what happens throughout our lives, our siblings will support us through it all. Whether it was that time we “accidentally” drew on the wall with Sharpie and they covered for us, or our college decision, they have given us the knowledge to make the right choice.
3. They are the only ones who are allowed to give you a hard time.
From the minute we are able to talk, siblings always give each other a hard time. It could be making fun of each other for their outfit choices or for their choice of music. Anything that can possibly made fun has been made fun of by siblings. It's all fun and games until someone other than our siblings give us a hard time. When that happens, our siblings don't hesitate to butt in and say something to protect us.
5. No matter how hard it is, saying sorry is a lot easier than continuing to fight.
Although a fight may not be our fault, in our siblings eyes, we may be the one who is always in the wrong. But instead of carrying on with a pointless fight, we have learned that it is okay to say sorry for the things that we did do, because of course, we had to say an insult when they were rude to us in the first place.
6. It's always more fun to do something with someone else.
Having a sibling is almost like having a best friend who really has no choice but to like and tolerate you. One of the best things about having a sibling is that you never have to go anywhere alone. Running to the store? Drag your sibling and tell them you need company. New movie coming out? Drag your sibling and tell them you'll buy the popcorn. Siblings are best friends placed in our lives through some odd reason but, for the most part, we love them.
7. Take time to put your phone down and look at the world around you.
My siblings are two of the people who constantly tell me to put my phone down. As millennials, we were born into a world with cell phones in our hands. Ever since we were in middle school, cell phones were a necessity to do anything. Yet, my siblings are always telling me I use mine too much. I mean, what part of me really cares what other people are doing on a Tuesday night?
8. Don't be afraid to reach out to new people and make new friends.
Going into college, my brother told me, “Don't be afraid to put yourself out there.” As an 18-year-old high school graduate, I really didn't know what he meant by this. A year and a half into college, I finally understand it. Telling me to put myself out there was the best advice I have ever gotten. He reminded me that it is okay to stray away from my close-knit group of friends, and meet people I never would have. I can't thank him enough for this.
9. Don't chase anything but dreams.
This little piece of advice came from my sister. She taught me that if I am chasing anything, whether it's a boy, a grade, or a friendship, she said that the only thing really worth chasing is a dream. Dreams are what keep us going. I took this piece of advice and tucked it into my back pocket, where I know I will never forget it.
10.You don't always need that second helping at dinner.
This lesson is one that I take straight to heart. Growing up, I was a chubby kid. My siblings called me by the name “Meatball Meg” (I didn't really understand it until now...thanks guys...). My siblings would always make fun of me for how much I ate, and how at one point in my life I was four feet tall, four feet wide. I guess I never really noticed how mean the nickname was, but now, I can say thank you for trying to look out for me, even if it was by being mean.
Overall, our siblings are the ones who carry us throughout our lives. We don't thank them every day, we may not talk to them every day, and we may not even be that close with them when we grow up, but we will forever thank them for the valuable life lessons they have taught us throughout our lives. So, thank you to two of the best teachers I have ever had.
