I might not remember the day you were born very well, but I remember the excitement I felt when I heard you were finally here. I might not remember when I held you for the first time, but I remember the countless times I have hugged you as we grew up. I might not have always been nice to you, but I want you to know how much I love and appreciate you.
The good times we have had together will always make me smile. The times swimming, bike riding, eating ice cream, conspiring on April Fool’s Day, I wouldn’t trade them for the world. I know siblings are supposed to be different, but it amazes me how different we can be. And that is not always a bad thing. Where I am stubborn, you are giving. Where I have my head in the clouds, you have your feet on the ground. Where I see things one way, you see them completely differently. Too often I am shocked at how smart you are. What looks to me like an impossible problem, has a simple solution in your eyes. Seeing you do well makes me so proud of you. I knew that little brat I grew up with would grow into something good eventually.
The bad times we have had together have been pretty bad. But they have only brought us closer. Years of arguments with each other and about each other seemed only to push us further apart. Our similar stubbornness makes compromise almost impossible. Our sharp tongues make it easy to hit hard without lifting a finger. But it never lasts. When our grandparents died we were the first to comfort each other. When our parents were going through hard times, we helped out when our parents could not. When one of us got into a tricky situation, the other helped fix it and kept our lips sealed. When our friends weren’t so friendly, we were always there for one another. And I pity the person who hurts one of my family. We are a ruthless bunch when it comes to revenge.
We have formed a strong bond over the years of growing up together. The amount of times we laughed until our sides hurt or got in trouble together were countless. Like thieves, there is honor among siblings. We make each other’s lives Hell so we are ready for the meaner people out there. We are the kindest you will ever see so you can recognize goodness when you find it in someone else. We are constantly challenging and pushing each other to be better and better, but we never judge or leave when you fail. You are family. You aren’t going down without putting up a darn good fight, and neither am I.
Even if you aren’t on your side, I am. I am here to push you in the right direction whether you like it or not. It’s one of the many things we learned from our parents: how to support each other. If I have learned anything from you, it is the value of friendship. There are no closer friends than in siblings. We might fight, or live far away, not be exceptionally close, but I will always love you. And don’t you dare forget it, you little brat!
