It is so easy when we are younger to not appreciate our siblings. We always fight, get each other in trouble and most of the time hate each other’s guts. But over time, as we get older, we tend to realize how important our siblings really are. It is hard for me to imagine my life without the love and support of my siblings. Granted, when I go home for extended holidays I am thoroughly annoyed by them, but when I am at school I realize how much I miss them and how important they really are to me.
I am the oldest of three children. I have a younger brother (15) and a younger sister (9). All three of us have extremely different interests and personalities, which makes it difficult to all enjoy a certain activity together, but spending time together is still fun nonetheless. Each child in a family, whether they are the first, second, third, ninth, etc. plays an important role as a sibling to the others. I, as the oldest, realize now that I’m away at college how much I rely on my brother and sister, and how much they rely on me.
Every time I come home to visit, I make sure I set aside time for being able to hang out and talk with both my brother and sister one-on-one. Every time my brother will vent about the latest drama with our parents, his current high school classes or our sister (they don’t always get along). I enjoy feeling this connection with him of “high school problems.” They are very similar to the ones I faced in high school, and I enjoy hearing about his experiences and offering advice where I can. While my brother is a sports fanatic and I never was, high school social problems never seem to change.
My sister, being only 9 years old, doesn’t need any advice quite yet, but I do enjoy listening to her fourth grade drama stories all about her friends and her teacher. My sister is as stubborn as a mule and tends to be the boss of her friend groups. I myself was never brave enough, and still am not brave enough, to be the boss of any group, so listening to her stories of how the others would not listen to her every command is pretty entertaining. I really love figuring out how different each of us is and learning all the different personality traits we both hold. No matter what the story is, I love listening to my siblings’ lives, current interests and what they have learned. I know I sound like a parent, but I love watching my siblings as they accomplish tasks set before them and grow up.
Last year as a freshman was the first time I realized how important my siblings really are to me. Where would any of us be without their support? Friends, even spouses nowadays, will come and go, but siblings are forced to stay with us through blood relation, whether they like it or not. Just kidding, they aren’t forced, but more times than not, they do stick around. When our parents die, we will have our siblings left. They will be the aunts and uncles of our children and the ones we can always call to check in with or ask for advice. Siblings are the ones who have seen us at our best and at our worst, and we’ve seen them in the same light. Siblings are the ones you will have for your entire life to trust and cherish. They will be there for every failure, tiny accomplishment and major step in our lives. That sounds awfully like a best friend, doesn’t it?
No matter how often my siblings and I have, or will, fight and want to pull each other’s hair out, it is impossible for me to imagine a world without them. I love my siblings and will always appreciate who they are as well as who they help me grow to be.
