A few years ago, I received the news that my very first cousin was on the way. New babies are always an exciting addition to the family, but to me, this new little one caused more excitement than she should have. When the second came about a year later, I was all kinds of excited all over again. Here I am a few years later and my two cousins are still on my list of “The Most Wonderful Things That Have Ever Happened to Me."
You still aren’t old enough to even be in kindergarten (but you’re getting close), and neither of you have learned how to read too well, but I wanted to write this anyway. To my little cousins, these are my promises to you.
1. I promise to always be there for you.
Even though I’m sometimes really far away, know that I’m always here for you. I wasn’t lucky enough to get any sisters, so you two are the closest I’m going to get to having one. While my brothers are two fantastic humans, I know what it’s like to be a girl growing up in this world. It can be really hard sometimes, and you may not know who to go to when you need help. If you’re ever in doubt and you need someone, please know that I’m here for you. Family is everything.
2. I promise to always make you laugh.
I sincerely hope your tickle spots don’t change, because I know sometimes there’s no better way to get you to laugh than to tickle you lots. I know you love it when people act silly and dance around with you. Girls, your smiles are the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Never go a day without smiling or laughing. The world may seem like a scary place sometimes, which is why it needs people like us to fill it with laughter and love.
3. I promise to give you the best hugs.
Learning how to walk gave you two the ability to explore. And then it gave you the ability to run. And with running came the realization that if you launched yourself at the nearest person, they would hug you to make sure you didn’t fall over. Hugs are the best things ever invented. I’ll give you hugs when you’re celebrating, when you’re crying or when you are too happy for words. Whenever I come home and see your wonderful selves, I’ll always be ready to give you a big hug.
4. I promise to teach you what I know.
Right now it’s fun to have you curled up next to me while I braid your hair, but someday I want to teach you how to do it yourselves. When it gets warmer, I’ll try to teach you to swim again and again until you love it. And if you hate it, that’s okay too. But I’m still going to teach you because it’s an important skill (and with all the fishing the rest of our family does, it’s much easier to be out on a boat with the knowledge that if you fall in the water, you’ll be perfectly fine).
5. I promise to be really judgmental of the people you fall in love with.
Whether that a boyfriend or girlfriend, I can 100% promise you that I will be very critical and highly judgmental of all of your significant others. I want the best the world has to offer for you. That means anyone who gets to try and love you as much as I do is going to have to go through me and the rest of our crazy family first. Someday, someone will pass all of my tests, don’t you worry. Just know that there’s a lot of people ready to make sure that you find the perfect person.
6. I promise to always have your back.
Like I said before, being a girl can be tricky. We have a lot to deal with as we grow up and find our place in this world. I’ll have your back during your first heartbreak, your first failed test, your first college application, your first big fight with your friends – everything. As you grow up, I’ll always just be a phone call away and sometimes just a quick walk from your front door to mine. Whatever happens, whatever challenges you face, I’ll be there to watch your back and keep you safe.
7. I promise to show you the good in everything.
Some people will tell you that my biggest flaw is that I see the good in everyone. I’ve got a short temper like a lot of people in our family, but that doesn’t mean I stay angry, or I stay mad. I look for the good inside every person I meet, in everything I do. Behind every rainy day is a reason to stay inside and snuggle with your dogs. With every fight with a friend comes the opportunity to make up and forgive each other, and grow closer knowing you survived the fight. With everything that happens in the world, all the bad things, the good will shine through.
I love you two more than anything. Watching you learn to run and play and smile has made my heart so incredibly happy. Snuggling close to you when we watch shows or take naps is one of my favorite past times. I thought I would resent the fact that you two being around would mean that I wouldn’t be the princess of the family anymore, but I’m lucky to share this kingdom with you. We’re going to fight a lot of dragons together, and maybe sing too many Taylor Swift songs together…but you know we're unstoppable when we do things together.
Sincerely,
Your (Favorite) Cousin
P.S. I love you more than cupcakes.
