When my little brother was close to being born, I remember a family member leaning down and whispering in my ear, "Your life is about to change forever." Since I was so young at the time, I had no idea what they meant by that statement. I thought that my brother was a temporary guest who my parents would take care of for a little bit, then give him back to his actual family. Needless to say, he was a permanent guest who truly did change my life forever. Anyone who has a younger brother could probably agree that they teach you things about yourself you'd probably never know without them. Here are a couple things that having a little brother has taught me.

1. They are your true best friend

I've had many "best friends" in my lifetime, but at some point we always seemed to grow apart as we grew up together. They eventually stopped caring for me and thought my quirks were weird. What took me so much heartache to realize was the fact that the little guy, who I called brother and who is actually taller than me, was somehow always there to make me feel important and needed once again. No one makes a better best friend than your younger brother, since they have seen you at your worst and still love you.

2. They love you unconditionally

The people who live with you everyday are the ones who know you the best, so growing up with someone who saw me in my awkward phases and did not mind being seen with me is a true example of unconditional love. Whenever I am hurt or upset, he manages to somehow know this and cheers me up with his words and sometimes even his actions.

3. They teach you how to be responsible

Like many older siblings, my parents trusted me to be my younger brother's babysitter. It was my job to protect him then. Even though he looks older and is definitely stronger than me, I still have a protective instinct when it comes to my little brother. Yes, it is true that the older siblings are generally allowed to make fun of the younger ones, but if anyone else does they should be prepared for a world of pain if anyone hurts him. I remember the movie, "Cheaper by the Dozen" when one of the siblings states, "there are times I want to kill him, but I'd kill for him all day long."

4. They remind you when you need to relax a little

Maybe it was because I was my parents first child that I was entrusted with a lot more responsibility than that of my younger brother. Now that I am older, I still get upset with myself if something I did or said was wrong. I tear myself apart over reacting to something as meaningless as my final grade being a 3.5 instead of a 4.0. My brother seems to always talk to me in a way that makes me realize that it is a stupid thing to spend so much time worrying about. Instead, I should be more like him and only worry when it comes to MSU beating any other college team in any sport.

5. They help you get in touch with your inner kid

My brother and I are three years apart, yet I am always the dramatic one saying to him, "when I was your age," when realistically it wasn't that long ago. This makes me think of my grandma describing her childhood. When I feel like I can no longer do childish things like running on a sheet of ice to race to the mailbox, stuff 20 marshmallows in my mouth, or pull an all-nighter, my brother always seems to be the one triple dog daring me to do it by calling me an old lady if I don't. So thank you little bro, for keeping your big sis a child a heart.

6. They know when people are not good for you

I don't remember how many times my brother would tell me "that person is not nice to you" and I would blow it off because he did not hang around these people like I did. "How could he know?" I would oftentimes think to myself after he would tell me things like this. What I didn't realize is he was always watching. He saw all the little things that I had grown used to or was blind to that I shouldn't have been. He knew when someone was good and when they were bad. He just had this inherent way of knowing. What I learned from this is, when you bring someone new into your life, make sure your little brother approves, since he's the one who always has your best interests at heart, he won't be bias, and instead will simply "tell you like it is."

7. They are the best at keeping secrets

A bond between siblings is something that I still can't quite comprehend. We tattled on each other from the time we first learn to speak and then in the blink of an eye, we can keep even the deepest darkest secret from our family and friends. Throughout my childhood, my brother was someone who I would always tell what gossip I had just learned and when I told him it was strictly a secret, I never once heard another person say "I heard you told your brother...." the secret always stayed with him no matter how big or small.

8. They will always protect you

As the oldest, we feel like it is our job to protect them always. Truth is, there are times when we need to be protected as well. My little brother has always come to my rescue when I needed him, whether it was defending a decision I made or helping me fix a mistake I had made, some how he knew and was there to help me out of those seemingly tough times.

9. They support your dreams and goals in life

No matter how big or small your dream is, your little brother is always there to cheer you on. He wants to see his older sibling succeed because he knows if you're happy he's happy. After all the challenges you have faced together, little does he know he has helped prepare you for the world and all the unknowns life brings to us.

10. They get your messed up sense of humor

There is no one who makes me feel less like a weirdo than my little brother. If I send him a random meme or gif that makes me laugh, chances are he will think it's funny too. Some people just don't understand why you think something is funny, but your little brother is someone who will always think you're Kevin Hart level funny (even if you aren't).

If you don't have a little brother who sometimes acts like the older brother, you are definitely missing out. A huge thank you to my little brother, because I have you, I know I'll always have a friend. I love you more than you will ever know and am glad that, per my request at the tender age of three, Mom & Dad didn't actually take you back to the hospital when they first brought you home so many years ago.