My dear sister,

I first want to start out by saying I love you so much. I honestly do not think I have or ever will love anyone or anything as much as I love you. You have been my best friend throughout our lifetime, the one person I can always count on to be there for me whenever I need you.

And I hope you can say the same for me.

I used to be overprotective of you. I felt responsible for you, but as you grow older I realize that you are such a strong young women and you can handle yourself just fine. Although you will not need my help as much now as you used to, I know you will come to me when you do, and just know I will always be here, ready to help.

And know, dear sister, that I need your help too. Even though I am older, I need your advice, your guidance. I need you to help me make decisions that I do not know how to make on my own. I need you to tell me everything is going to be OK, that it'll all work out, because when I hear you say those words, I know that it will be OK. I have you by my side, which will make it OK.

It has been scary and beautiful watching you grow up. Watching you go through things I have not experienced yet, that I do not know how to help you with. But with those experiences, you are teaching me. I never thought that I would be the one looking up to you and learning from you, but I have learned more from you than you probably have from me. Thank you for that.

As children, we had always been close--we were best friends. We did everything together and have created so many wonderful memories from those years. As years pass by, those memories become more distant, but we are creating new ones and we will continue creating them throughout the rest of our lives. We will be best friends forever--that is one thing I know for sure.

My love, I wish you could see yourself through my eyes. With all your imperfections and scars, you are beautiful and perfect and exactly who you were meant to be. You are a goofball, a princess, a worrier, a fighter, a lover, my sister. You are a brilliant mind and a beautiful soul.

People always think my love for you is weird, almost an obsession. And they may be right. But they do not know what it is like to love someone more than life itself. More than the moon loves the sun, more than you love rice with sauce. They do not know what it is like to have you as a sister, to look at you and just be happy.

I want the best for you; I want you to be happy, so happy that you do not even know why you are so happy, you just are. I want you to be successful, which I know you will be. I want you to be daring and take risks in life. I want you to live your life with no regrets.

It terrifies me to think that someday one of us might move away, to a different town, starting our new lives. I am scared to be away from you for that long, that far. But I know that I will see you, a lot. And I know that you will be thinking of me, and I will be thinking of you.

So, my love, go see the world. Experience all there is to experience. Travel, fall in love, feel some pain, but never regret any of it. For that is what makes you who you are. And always remember I will be right there, watching you live your life, always a phone call away, hopefully closer.

I love you so much, dear sister.

Love you forever and always,

Your big sis