First of all, hey. If you’re reading this and you’re not my younger sister, then this might be a little awkward. But if you yourself have younger siblings or are the youngest sibling, then you might be able to relate to this letter.
To my younger sibling,
You probably think that me writing a letter to you (my sister) is weird, but I promise you that it’s not. Growing up I always noticed the “special treatment” that mom and dad would give you: cooler toys, nicer clothes, and getting away with things I wouldn’t have been able to. I’m not going to lie, you having an easier and more lenient childhood made me a little jealous. I remember always thinking that it was so unfair that you never got in trouble for anything or that you didn’t have to do nearly as many chores as me. But thinking back on it, mom and dad were seasoned pros by the time you came along, so they probably just found new ways to teach you right from wrong.
At times, growing up with you was not easy. No one likes fighting with their family members but at some point or another, it happens. I like to think that us bickering about clothes or going into each other’s rooms has taught us how to respect one another and our own personal spaces. Now that we’re older and more mature, we’re closer as sisters and enjoy hanging out and doing sisterly things together, which in the end will make some great memories.
The expectations and pressures on me were very high, which they will be for you too. But I was the first to go through high school, take the ACTs, apply to college, move into a dorm, and figure out where to go from there. With you, you have a choice. You can either choose to follow the path that I paved for you or create a path of your own, which you are already doing.
Another thing that I want to tell you through this letter is that I am so proud of you. You had the chance to follow in the footsteps of mom, dad, and I but you chose a different path, a path that is right for you. I sometimes wish that I had an older sibling that could help me with the difficulties of life, high school, college, and the future in general. But that’s what you have me for. Knowing you for the past 16 years and watching you grow into the amazing human being that you are has been an honor. We have been through a lot together – traveling to foreign lands, going on shopping trips, getting into fights, and more often than not growing as sisters – and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I will always be your number one fan in anything that you do.
Love always,
Kasey