To My Older Sibling:
From the beginning, you’ve always been there. When we were younger, we would tease each other constantly and then go running to Mom when one of us played too rough. Admittedly, sometimes we really got on each other’s nerves. However, you were always the person I looked up to the most, despite all the names I called you and faces I made at you in grade school. When we got to be in the same school together, myself in first grade and you in fourth, I always yelled out a greeting to you – partly to embarrass you since you told me not to and partly just to say hello. I was so excited to have a cool older sibling in the same school.
When we got to middle school, you were way too cool for me (or so you thought) and I was way too cool for you (or so I thought). We still teased each other, but still sat down at the same time to watch new episodes of our favorite TV shows. I always enjoyed the little moments the most, and hanging out with you was like hanging out with a cool older friend who hung out with me even though I was younger and probably pretty dorky.
In high school, we were back in the same school once again and I took every opportunity to shout out a greeting to you in the hallways, despite your protests (but this time, it was 100% to embarrass you). Although we now had more going on in our lives, I still loved being your little sister. All your friends knew me as your younger sister and gave me greetings in school to make me feel cool to know the upperclassmen, and all my friends knew you but were probably too afraid to say hello, since upperclassmen are scary and we were all under five feet tall (can you blame us, though?) You were always protective of me, and I knew it. When our parents split up, it was hard but we were in the same boat and always there for each other. When I was down, you were there for me, and I knew out of all the friends I had, you were the best of them.
When you graduated, it was so bittersweet because I wouldn’t see you at school anymore, but I was so immensely proud of you. The whole summer before you went to college was one of my favorite memories, getting to spend time with you laughing at the dumb things we joked about before you had to go away to college. Then, when you went away to college, I missed you terribly. Who else would simultaneously have me rolling on the floor laughing while also annoying me so much? Every time you came home was a cause for celebration.
When you went through all your trials and tribulations, I was one of the only people you could talk to about it. Siblings have that bond that parents don’t always understand; they really are your very first best friends. I hoped and prayed peace of mind and success would make its way to you.
Now I’m in college, and you’re living on your own, working and going to school, too. Neither of us lives at home anymore, but any time I’m with you I might as well be home because it’s so familiar. Any time we’re together again it’s back to cracking weird jokes while our parents look confused, and back to light name-calling and pushing each other’s buttons the way only siblings can. Although we’re still so young, I’m so happy to have a sibling as great as you have been to me, and I’m so proud of all you’ve accomplished and overcome – not to mention so excited to see all the things you’ll do. I’ve always been so proud to call you my older sibling, even though I may address you with more colorful monikers from time to time (and I probably always will.)
Much Love,
Your Little Sister