Many people are blessed with a sibling close to their own age. But, lucky me, I was blessed with a sister 11 years older. Having a sister that much older can seem like both of us are worlds apart. And we are. We grew up in completely different decades and when she was going into middle school I was barely learning to talk. A lot of people would assume the age difference would create a weird barrier, or wall, that would make it hard to get close with each other. Many people would think we wouldn’t have anything to do with each other, since our interests would always be completely different. But that is not the case. It is just as perfect, if not more, having a sister that much older than you.
Having a sister so much older is actually an advantage when it comes to the parents. She knows how they work. If I ever had a sneaky thought in my head I could easily run it past her. Whether she had ever done it or not, she would always let me know if I could get away with it, or if it was a bad idea. Whenever I was going through the typical psycho girl stage that we all go through in high school, she was always the one to call. She had been through it all and always offered the best advice. My sister would always know what to say and what to do. I did not have to have any awkward conversations with my parents about boys because my sister covered that. If I ever had any questions I would always ask her first. She never sugar-coated anything.
Sometimes my sister would have to be the parent. Lucky her, at 17 she got to babysit the greatest six year old, ever. It would always irk me whenever she would get onto me or put me in time out. I mean, after all, she was only my sister, but sometimes she was also the rule enforcer.
Growing up I would take getting in trouble by her over anyone else, any day. When she would try to spank me I would laugh because of how much it did not hurt, and when she would try to give me “talks” we would just bust out laughing. Whenever we would go out in public, people would ask if I was her daughter. Once I learned she did not like that people thought she was my mom, I made it a must to call her mom every time we were in public.
When you have a sister so far ahead of you in age, you grow up as an only child, in a way. The day she left for college, I clung to her senior picture because I could not imagine not living with her anymore. Although I barely got to see her, and we didn’t talk that much, I feel like we were still close in heart. By the time she went to college I was only six years old, so I was raised without any other siblings until I was 18. It was the best of both worlds -- neither of us had to fight for attention because we both got many years with our parents by ourselves, but we still had each other.
She helped feed me, change my diapers and raise me. I am sure there were many Saturday nights she could have been out with friends, but instead was with me.
Now that I am in college and we live in the same town, it is almost a new relationship. I come to her, but with bigger problems and bigger secrets. Whenever I freak out over classes or schoolwork, she has been through college and knows exactly how to help me. She makes me be a grow-up even when I don’t want to and vice-versa. She has taken on the role of being an even bigger leader to me, and an even better sister and friend.
We are far apart enough in age where nothing is ever spiteful or selfish, but trustworthy and helpful. She would never betray me or tell on me to my parents. Instead, she gets me back on track or leads me in the right direction.
There is never any competition, other than me competing to be as great as her. I have always watched her every move, even when she didn’t know I was looking. I have always viewed her as one of the smartest and most beautiful women I have ever known. I have always looked straight to her as a role model and someone to look at for direction.
We can go weeks without talking, but as soon as everything in my world crashes down she is the first person there. She is the one I fight with like crazy, sometimes, and feel guilty right after. She is the one I don’t always say I love you to, because we make fun of each other when we say things like that or get emotional, but I do love her unconditionally.
We have spent a lot of time together and I cannot wait for the rest of the time to come. My sister was, is and always will be, my best friend. She is my other half. I can count on her to be my biggest fan at my college graduation, to be my maid of honor and slap sense into me when I become Bridezilla, and the first person I call when I find out I am pregnant and the one to help me name my future child the day he or she is born. She will be the person I will forever laugh, cry, smile and enjoy life with. She is my sister.
