To My Loving Cousins,
Sometimes I cannot help but think about what it would be like if we were siblings. However, I always realize that we basically already are. It's odd to think that some people out there do not have close relationships with their cousins. Without all of you, I do not know who I would be today.
Each of you taught me so many different things -- unforgettable life lessons or quirky little life hacks. Grandparents' houses are where the relationships were nurtured. It was days like those that forged life-long bonds. We made the family gatherings bearable for each other. The “kids' table” turned in to the “cousins' table.” We would spend some of the time making inside jokes about our crazy great-grandma that bit a carrot and put it back, shamefully laugh at how loud our family actually was, and simultaneously shake our heads at how crazy our family was. We would even try to coordinate what time our families arrived so there was not a single moment spent alone to be cheek pinched and cooed over by relatives we only see a few times a year.
We knew what the others were going through. We suffered the same family crises, we lost the same loved ones, we welcomed the same new relatives by birth or marriage. The highs, the lows -- we did it all together. We are bonded by blood, siblings at heart, and of course, friends by choice. But it is that choice that presents such a life-changing perspective on friendship.
Every individual makes many friends over their lifetime, but the friend(s) that were there in the beginning and will be there until the end are cousins. Siblings are too, obviously, but let' be serious: We are with siblings basically 24/7, and cousins are like siblings we do not have to live with 24/7, and therefore not someone we can necessarily be annoyed by 24/7. The memories forged at countless family parities, holidays, and vacations are ones that are unsurpassed.
As the years passed, I have come to realize that cousins are the oldest friends I have. The oldest, the most dear, and the most loving friends. I would not trade these friendships for anything or anyone in the world.
So thank you. Thank you for suffering through awkward family parties. Thank you for making me laugh over Thanksgiving dinner when we ate ourselves sick on Grandma’s amazing mashed potatoes. Thank you for being that shoulder to cry on when we were going through a crisis. Thank you for putting up with me longer than anyone ever has. Thank you for being not only my cousin, but my best friend and long-lost sibling.
Sincerely,
Your Cousin
