My sister,

What I’m about to say might come as a surprise to you: you are my other half. You are sassy. You are straightforward. You are street smart. You aren’t afraid to tell people how you feel about them. You are all the things I’m not and I thank you for that.

You taught me how to tie my shoes. You taught me what physical, mental, and emotional strength looks like. Your ability to disassociate with people who’ve wronged you is not only impressive but admirable—I don’t know anyone else who can do that. The fact that you can completely ignore what others tell you to do and follow your own path is such an inspiration to me and to all you meet.

Your resiliency towards pain, in all forms, has given me strength when I’ve needed it the most.

I wish I could put how much you mean to me into words. I wish I could get back the time we’ve spent apart. I wish I could take back all the times I screamed at you.

I’m the first to admit I haven’t always been the best sister to you. You of all people, know my faults. You know I over-analyze everything. You know how sensitive I am. You know how I ache to control the smallest things in order to bring my life some sort of consistency. You know how terrible I am at sticking up for myself, especially to you.

I’m terrible at sticking up for myself to you because I care so much about what you think. As odd as it may seem, given you’re my little sister, you are a role model of mine. Though we disagree on almost everything and we’ve gotten in the worst fights of anyone I’ve ever fought with, you challenge me in ways no one else ever has.

You make me a nicer, more open-minded person. I can always count on you to put me in my place when I’m being rude. You make me step out of my comfort zone, something I’ve never been good at.

You’ve always been there to choreograph dances with, to write (some very interesting) songs with, to eat On The Border with, to sing Aaron Carter with, to complain about people we don’t like with, and to make memories with.

Thank you for not only being my sister but for being my other half and my best friend. Most of my fondest memories include you.

I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being you. I thank you for being my sister. I thank you for being everything I’m not. Thank you for loving me, even when I didn’t love myself.

Thank you for being the best sister I could've asked for.

Love you always, you spitfire