This past Sunday we watched as siblings across the nation flooded social media with throwback pictures of them and their siblings in celebration of National Siblings Day. Some celebrate this holiday with old stories of growing up while others post these adorable pictures to admire their siblings from afar. I am currently a sophomore in college, so I celebrated this holiday by posting the most embarrassing photos I could of my two younger sisters, and I'm sure they hate me for it. Being the oldest holds many responsibility and acknowledging them on such a holiday is important.
Being the oldest bears more responsibility than their younger siblings seem to realize. We are the guinea pigs for just about every groundbreaking step in our lives, and our parents learn through their mistakes with the first kid so they can do better for the next. Being the oldest requires you to be the strong one at all times, even when your sister runs you over with the peddle car. The younger siblings always have the upper hand because "they don't know better" and "you are the oldest so you should be more mature." It gets tired really fast, but it teaches us to take leadership and pushes us to push them. Sometimes we can push them a little too hard, but it's only because we want them to be better than us, to squash our achievements, and to grow up an even stronger person.
My first sister was Morgan, and we are only two years apart. Two females so close in age is definitely not the most ideal situation, but we made it work. Growing up, we picked on each other, yet we were so different that we naturally got along. As we grew older, we fought a lot more, especially when she would blame me and get away with it. One time she was dumb enough to step on the end of a shovel and give herself a black eye. I'm serious, it was just like the cartoons. And she went inside crying to my parents that I hit her, and they believed her. It took me hours to finally convince my parents that I was not mean enough to do that. This is also the sister that ran me over with the peddle car.
She is very confident in herself and her abilities, focusing more on herself and her well-being than most. She is an adventitious and bold person who never takes no for an answer, something that I really admire. The past few years we've had some bad fights, yet in the end I love her unconditionally and could not be prouder that she will be a WarHawk next year studying psychology.
Now the second sister, Bailey, is five years apart from me. She is practically my other half, being ridiculously athletic and strong headed. As of now she plays volleyball and kicks major butt at it. She just finished her last season of softball, which I feel partially to blame because she was constantly compared to me. We both played through the same programs, and even though she played first base and catcher, coaches and parents still seemed to think that we were the same athletes.
Bailey is more dedicated and critical on herself than I ever was. She strives for greatness, never giving it less than her best. As a freshman in high school, she chose to join the girls track team to be a sprinter. Now I must say she is pretty quick, her long legs give her a noticeable advantage. The pole vaulting coach saw her and asked if she wanted to be one of the female pole vaulters. It took her quite some time to make a decision, but in the end she decided to try something new and be different because there aren't many girls who take that kind of opportunity. Being at school, it's hard for me to come down to see her meets, and it kills me not to be able to support her like she supports me at my softball games. I will say my dad sent me a video of her pole vaulting over seven feet, and I was ecstatic. I literally got to see my sister fly, something that she has been destined for. I cannot wait to see what she is capable of doing in her high school career and where she ends up going for college.
Being the oldest, you love your siblings unconditionally and talk about them like they are the greatest people because, in the end, they are your best friends. They are the ones that see you every day, hug and kiss you before bed, and are there bright and early when you go to school. They are the ones that help you through the breakups and make sure the new boyfriend is deserving of you. They are the ones that you can find sneaking around at midnight for a snack and then watch a movie with you until 2 a.m. They are your best friends because they are there for it all and love you through all of that.
One of the hardest parts of leaving for college is leaving your family because they learn to live without you there and they continue to grow up as you do. Morgan is going to be a freshman in college! Bailey is calling me to tell me about boy problems. It's terrifying to see them grow up, yet they will be the ones by your side on your wedding day, they will be the ones helping you move into your new house, they will be the ones helping you plan a baby shower. They will be by your side for the rest of your life, sharing the memories and experiences Mom and Dad would gladly not know about. They will be yours forever, and so on this wonderful occasion, I want to thank my sisters for letting me be an older sister because it is by far the hardest and most rewarding job I could ever ask for.
