For those of you that do not have a sister, you are missing out. Having a sister is probably one of the best and worst things I have yet to experience. We have argued so bad to the point of physical attacks; at the same time, we have spent hours in each others' rooms, just talking about life. I remember the times where we laughed so hard that neither of us could make a sound. There were even points where we laughed so hard I peed my pants. It's memories like these that make me thankful. Without you, I wouldn’t be the young lady I am today.

Growing up, you have taught me so much, and yet you are given so little credit. When there were monsters under our beds, I was the one to check and make sure they were gone. Doing so instilled courage and confidence that I wouldn’t have learned on my own.

You taught me to love myself, even if others didn’t. When I wanted to rock my fruit pants at school, you gave me an extra boost to do so.You told me “mom bought those for you because you liked them, who cares what others think.”

Now that I am at college, I have noticed the emptiness. You were the extra body next to me while brushing our teeth. The girl standing on the side of the tub as we combed out hair. You were the one who pushed me when running towards the van. You were my best friend growing up. Even in high school, you continued to cheer for me. Every sporting event I could expect to see you there.

Now that I am old enough to understand, you were truly the impact to my life. You were the first born. The sample of life that mom needed. As soon as I arrived, mom was already a pro at kids and could handle anything. I remember when you used to pinch my cheeks until they turned red. Even to this day, you pinch my cheeks. We have been through some hard times, including the loss of our dad; but we stuck together and used each other for comfort. How oblivious could a person be to not recognize the true value of their sister? And for that, I want to say thank you.

Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for being hard on me in the most unnecessary times. I wish you the best in the rest of your life. Just remember that wherever life takes you, we are connected by blood. And in our blood, we will not give up, we will not back down, and we will always be sisters.