When we were younger I was always jealous of you. You got good grades, had Rapunzel’s golden hair that flowed down to your hips, and always seemed to be everyone’s favorite (except for our babysitters of course). I know you hated it when I copied you, but I just couldn’t help it. I wanted to tumble around the gymnastics floor like you, and be able to sing sweet notes that awed the room. Most of all I wanted to carry myself with such confidence, like you always did. Yet, I never hated you for it, in fact I idolized you. I still do. I know we had a bit of a rocky relationship when we were younger, but looking back now, all I feel is an overwhelming sense of gratitude and joy at all of the incredible memories that we shared. I mean, who else would have turned our cat-room into a secret hideout where we concocted love potions for our kindergarten crushes, or tricked our brother into playing “servant” so that he would bring us lemon water while we lounged on our hammock. Even the bad memories seem funny now. I remember that time I punched you in the face, gave you a bloody nose, and then cried about it for an hour afterwards. Or who could forget that time that you told me I was going to jail for opening Mom’s mail. You literally printed out the law from online, shoved it beneath the crack of my door, and made me so scared that was going to prison, that I cried…. Ahh, memories.

And now, I can’t remember the last time we fought. These memories seem like part of a comedy that we watched together. A comedy that involved two best friends navigating their way through growing up together. From all the lost friends to forgotten boys, you have always been the one constant in my life.

I can’t tell you how much I miss seeing you around campus every day, our ranting sessions on the ride home when you would pretend to listen, or having cuddle puddles while catching up on the latest episode of one of our many TV obsessions. I often think about how lucky I am to have a sister who is always there for me. Even now, with you crazy college schedule, you still make time to listen to me rant about my horrible math test, or my just as horrible boy problems. Dad often tells me that he doesn’t understand how we can Facetime for hours and not speak a word to each other. But I know you understand, it’s about knowing that we’re there for each other. It’s about knowing that all we have to do is look to our tiny screens to know that the other is okay.

Now that we’re older, I still often copy you. I want to go to the same college as you, go abroad to the same places as you, and even now, I still show my hairdressers your picture and ask them for hair like Rapunzel's, I mean yours. However, you no longer get angry at me for copying you. In fact, you almost seem happy and understand that I do all of these things because I love you, and am so incredibly proud of you. And I can’t tell you how much that means to me. I am so incredibly lucky to have a sister like you and I only wish that I told you this more often. This letter is a way for me to let you know how much I appreciate all you’ve done. And to tell you, in more than a quick call, that I miss you.