Thank you. I don’t say it enough to you, and honestly, I don’t think you truly know how thankful for you I am. You are everything that I dreamed one day I would be. I have spent my entire life looking up to you, watching, praying that I turn out to be half of the woman that you are.

You are easily the strongest person I know. I watched you become independent at the age of sixteen, work three jobs to put yourself through college and finally excel in a career field that was predominantly controlled by men. I was never jaded by gender roles because in your life, they never existed. You also told me to always be true to myself, to be proud of who I am. You taught me the true meaning of perseverance. There have been too many moments in my life that I've caught myself on the edge of giving up but simply knowing that the same blood that flows through your veins flows through mine, I felt empowered. I am surefooted, sassy and strong because I learned those things from you. You constantly praise me for where I’m going in life, but the path I’m traveling was paved by you. By your dedication to me.

You have never, not once, let anyone else dictate how your life would go. Your emotions, your successes, they have constantly been a conscious decision for you. You taught me that in life, my immediate reaction should always be a kind one. You are always helping others in the same way that you’ve helped me. You stood by me as I found myself, as a grew up, when I was terribly unbearable. I am selfless now because you have never once been selfish.

You mean so much to me. When something goes wrong in my life, you are my first phone call. There’s never been a problem that you couldn’t guide me through. I know that the way you love me, from the care packages to the advice, comes so naturally for you. I want you to know, however, that your love is not something I take for granted. You are so rare, so beautiful. When life beats me down, you constantly lift me up. I wouldn’t survive the punches the universe throws at me without you. I wouldn’t smile half as big in the happy moments without you, either. You laugh and love life more than anyone I’ve ever seen. Your presence is captivating. I am funny because your smile is irreplaceable and I love being the cause of it.

You somehow manage to navigate your life in a constant state of grace. You exude a confidence and a power that is undeniable. You never let your beauty take you places (even though you could have) but rather you used your mind. You have shown me that there isn’t a mountain in this world I can’t climb. I believe in myself now because you believed in me first. You never gave up on me. You loved me in my most unlovable moments. I am forgiving and I love unconditionally because I’ve never known anything else. There isn't anyone I treasure more than you.

If I am anything exceptional, it’s because I’ve managed to mirror my sister. You are my lifeline, my forever best friend, my savior.