For all those who don’t know me, I have a big sister. Whenever we were younger (and still to this day), I got the pink or red gifts and she always got the blue and green ones. For Halloween one year, I dressed up as a dainty butterfly while she dressed up as Darth Maul… She was one of the least girly girls ever and she dragged me down the tomboy hole with her, without my permission.

When other girls who had big sisters learned to braid hair, I learned how to throw a football. When other girls learned how to paint nails, I was taught the proper way to fight with a lightsaber. When other girl’s big sisters talked boys with them, my big sister talked "Harry Potter" to me. So now, I am almost 20, I can’t braid hair well, I can’t paint nails well, I put on minimum makeup because I was never taught, but I can throw a football, I can kill you with a lightsaber, and I can talk you under the table about Harry Potter. However, it was the best thing that ever happened to me.

So (shorter) big sister,

I love you so much and I thank God for you every day.

I am so sorry for all the days I wished for a “more girly” sister and for the days that I got mad that I couldn’t talk with my friends about the girly things they did with their big sisters. I am sorry for all the fights we had and for trying to make our little brother a little sister so I could teach him the things you never taught me.

Because, instead of teaching me how to braid hair every which way, you taught me how to be myself. I learned that it didn’t matter if what I loved was “girly” enough because if I loved what I did, it didn’t matter. You taught me to be confident in myself. I learned how to stand up for whom I am and that has made me the girl I am. So now, while other girls are working on their confidence levels, I don’t need to, but hey at least they can do a French braid, right?

Instead of teaching me how to perfectly paint my finger and toe nails, you taught me to never give up on myself. You have been through a lot and though you hit a few bumps along the way, you never truly gave up and always ended up on top. Most people give up on themselves, but you never did. And now I know that if I believe in myself, and if I never give up on myself, I can do great things, which is much better than painting nails.

Instead of teaching me how to “twerk”, you taught me to throw a football and the javelin. There really isn’t a life lesson here, but personally, I think it impresses boys more than twerking does.

I don’t know if I say this enough or at all, but I look up to you so much (not literally because I’m taller). Heading into high school, all I heard was how smart, athletic, talented, beautiful, kind, and loving you were and that pushed me to be as smart, athletic, beautiful, kind, and loving as you are. It drove me nuts that people liked you better, but I don’t blame you. And even though I complained all the time, the biggest honor in my life is being known as your little sister. You inspire me daily with your wisdom, kindness, and big heart. I love you so much. Thank you for not being a girly girl, it was the biggest blessing God has given me.