My sister and I signed up to take the ACT together on a Saturday morning, and when the day approached, I was taking full advantage of every moment I could stay in bed. Meanwhile,she was up sharpening pencils for us, and if I had to take a guess, she'd probably been awake an hour or so before that. Mind you, I'm the big sister. (By only two years, but still). She knocked gently on my door to make sure I was awake and I quickly scrambled to make myself presentable before leaving the house. Upon arriving at school, as I went to grab two pencils from the ones she had sharpened, she suggested I grab a third one just in case, and she told me to grab the maroon one. Of course I didn’t think anything of it.. the eraser was a little different, appearing maybe a little more reliable, but that was all I could tell.

We gathered our things and entered the building. After registration, we were assigned to our classrooms and soon began the exam. My nerves were bad- it was 7:30 on a Saturday morning and the last place I wanted to be was at school taking a huge test. But soon my worries were blinded. The point on my pencil was rather dull so I casually grabbed another one I had with me- I grabbed the maroon one. It was then that I noticed the words so finely engraved right below the eraser. "Be bold. Be fearless. Be amazing." And in that moment, I'd found every ounce of assurance I was searching for . My sister knew I'd need that reminder and she made sure I would take the maroon pencil.

It was her first time taking the ACT, therefore it would have seemed much more logical for me to make sure she was prepared from the experience I had. But that wasn't the case. I guess I kind of assumed she had all that she needed and among the chaos of the morning, I didn't think about a simple gesture going such a long way- but she did. And that's only a partial reason why I'm so thankful to have her.

More often than I'd like to admit, I allow myself to get caught up in the motion and I tend to overlook just how fortunate I really am. Having a sister means being given that maroon pencil when you need it most and soon realizing there's someone who is rooting for you and believes in you like nobody else; it means so much more than words could ever describe.

It means sharing clothes.

It's no secret when your sister's been digging in your closet. It's that moment when you walk in her room and see your own clothes scattered around. But you know it'd only be the height of hypocrisy to get mad because you do the exact same thing. It's definitely convenient until something magically goes missing.

It means wiping tears.

She always has and always will know what's best for you; she knows you from the inside out. But when you're too stubborn to listen to her advice, she'll still be the first person there when you need a shoulder to lean on.

It means the truth.

She won't always hold back and she doesn't fear hurting your feelings. She'll give you the truth when it's needed the most and at the end of the day, you can't help but be appreciative of that.

It means understanding.

There's a special connection that's like no other. She'll understand when you make bad choices and why you see things the way you do. And she'll offer her perspective while still respecting yours.

It means disagreements.

Though the good outweighs the bad, it's definitely not always going to be rainbows and sunshine. You won't always see eye to eye but you end up compromising. You learn to pick your battles.

It means balance.

Chances are, you and your sister are nothing alike. You may even be the polar opposite of her. But that's what makes the bond even stronger because you balance each other out. She has what you lack.

It means being there.

At whatever cost at whatever time, she will always provide open arms to run into. She's always willing to do whatever she can and she never lets you forget that.

It means a forever friend.

She isn't just a friend you become distant with over time or someone who just up and leaves without any reasoning. You'll never truly grow apart from her no matter how big the argument or how bad the disagreement.

Despite the hassle that sometimes overcomes me, I am probably the luckiest girl in the world to have not only one sister, but two who mean the absolute world to me. Being a big sister can sometimes be a big deal- but it becomes such a small responsibility, if at all one, compared to what I receive in return. I get moments of endless laughter and someone to vent to after a really long day. And most importantly , I get the greatest friend I'll ever have.. for a whole lifetime. Having a sister is one of the richest forms of love and the purest of bonds I'll always cherish.