Dear Person with A Sibling,
You have been blessed with one of the greatest gifts that God can give you – a sibling. Whether your sibling is 10 years older than you, or 10 months younger, or maybe you have seven of them, you have been given an opportunity to have a best friend for life. You have been given someone to that can always have your back even when you feel like nobody else does, someone that can love you at your lowest, and someone to tell you when you need to get your life together. Take advantage of that and appreciate that irreplaceable bond. I'm begging you.
I was once like you.
I had a sibling that I constantly complained about. We were absolutely nothing alike and had brutal fights that had to be broken up by our parents. We would scream hurtful things like ‘I HATE YOU’ and ‘MY LIFE WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER WITHOUT YOU’ at each other. Don’t get me wrong, though, we loved each other so, so much. We just had funny ways of showing it. Everyone always told us that it would be better when we got older and we would appreciate each other more, but I never got the chance to experience the stages of life with my sibling by my side. At the age of 12, I lost my beautiful 11-year-old sister to cancer.
I'm sure that you have heard the saying ‘you don’t know what you got until it's gone.' As cliché as it sounds, I am here to tell you that it could not be truer. Looking back, I did not appreciate the person who was right in front of me as much as I should have. Knowing what I know now, there are so many things that I wish I would have said and done differently. My sibling is gone and I am desperately trying to envision what life would be like with her here. What college would she be heading off to this fall? Would she have a boyfriend? Would we share clothes? I run scenarios through my head over and over again until I drive myself crazy. However, I refuse to let myself live in regret because I was lucky, so incredibly lucky, to have a sibling for 11 years.
It is important to note that I am not writing this to make you feel bad for people like me or to make you feel guilty. Am I jealous of you? Of course! It would be insane for me not to feel jealousy especially on days like National Sibling Day where my timelines are filled with pictures of people who have something that was taken away from me, a sibling. (which is my least favorite day of the year, by far). But, I am writing this because I need you to make sure you appreciate your sibling. Trust me, had I not lost my sibling, I am sure I would be just going through the motions without seeing what a true blessing that a sibling is. My greatest wish is that after reading this, you can look at life through a different lens and view your sibling in a new way.
Next time your little brother annoying you to play with him, go play and give him 10 minutes. He probably looks up to you and just wants to spend time with you.
Next time you’re about to scream at your sister for her music being too loud, go jam with her. Sing at the top of your lungs. I promise you’ll look back at these moments with a smile.
Next time your sister walks out of the house with the top on from YOUR closet, don’t yell at her. Take a deep breath and tell her how beautiful she looks.
Maybe you haven’t seen or spoken to your sibling in a while, I’m begging you to pick up the phone. Please, please reach out to them because nothing is worth losing them.
All in all, live life with no regrets. Give one extra hug, send one extra appreciative text, and make sure that your sibling knows how much you value them. I would give anything to be able to tell my sibling I love them just one more time.
Sincerely,
Someone who lost their sibling.
