This year, one of my little sisters graduates from high school.
In the next week, she'll be taking her final high school exams, cleaning out her locker, saying goodbye to all of her childhood friends and making the walk across stage to receive her high school diploma. Then, she will be taking her first step into adult hood.
There's so much I want to share to her as she completes this milestone in life.
Dear Sister,
I watched you grow into this magnificent, fiery little woman you are today and I could not be more proud. Even though distance may separate us and I may not see or speak to you every day, please know how proud of you I am. I hope you take these few pieces of advice to heart and I hope it shows you how much I love you.
Stay true to yourself and follow your heart. If you don't know what you want to do in these next four years of college, that's okay. If you think you do and work so hard to get there then decide it's not, that's okay too. Find your passion and follow it.
Find your friends and stay with them. Find the friend who is going to stay up cramming for finals with you so you both succeed in the class that you thought was going to kill you. Find the friend that will show you how to let loose (every once in a while) to get a break from all the college stress. Find the friend who is going to have a pizza binge night with you after a stressful test.
In this next phase of your life, you are going to meet so many new people and learn so many new things. Just remember, I am here for you. I've been down this path and have failed and have succeeded. I am still trying to succeed. If you think you are going to fail, I will be here to help you not. I will be here to help you find your balance, because trust me, at some point it's going to feel so overwhelming and unbearable.
Take this summer to do something crazy. Go on an adventure, go on a road trip or just sit at the beach every day until you're sick of the sun. Take this summer to continue being a kid before you make your way into adulthood. Then, when the time comes to be responsible, I know you will be. I know you'll succeed even though there will be times you think you won't. You got this. College is hard, but it's one of the greatest experiences.
I love you, Seeeester. I am so happy to be able to watch you complete this journey in life.
To all of the older siblings out there, make sure you tell your littles how proud of them you are and how happy you are for them. It's their turn to shine and complete this milestone just as we did however many years ago.
