I was an only child for about four and a half years. When my brother was born, I was given my first job. Being a big sister is a job that I will have for the rest of my life, even now that I'm in my twenties and he's almost done with high school.
This job comes with countless promises, but here are twenty of my promises to you, little brother.
1. I promise to support you in everything. I'll rally behind you as you start new projects in your life, and I promise to be your crutch when things look bleak.
2. I promise to defend you the best as I can. After all, I'm the only one that's allowed to pick on you.
3. I promise to be loud and obnoxious at your graduation.
4. I promise to keep you grounded and help you make the right choices for your life.
5. I promise to pray for you every day.
6. I promise to at least pretend to be interested when you yammer on about an interest that isn't mutual.
7. I promise to one day be a good friend to your wife.
8. I promise one day to be the best aunt your kids will ever have. If your wife has any sisters, I'm going to one-up them all.
9. I promise to accept you for you. Always.
10. I promise I will help you with any questions you have about wooing that pretty girl. Unless you're being weird.
11. I promise not to embarrass you too much.
12. I promise to keep every single one of your secrets. They'll never escape.
13. I promise to drop everything for you if you need me. Work, class, friends, whatever. Family comes first.
14. I promise to repeatedly tell you what classes to take until you listen to me and take them. (I'll help you with them, too.)
15. I promise to be your personal taxi service . . . even if it's somewhat begrudgingly.
16. I promise to let you cry around me if you have to. We both know I've cried around you.
17. I promise to keep going to concerts with you in the blistering heat of summer, singing along and making sure we both have plenty of sunscreen so we don't turn into lobsters.
18. I promise to be honest with you and never (intentionally) leave you out of the loop.
19. I promise to memorize the names of your friends so I actually know what you're talking about.
20. I promise to love you unconditionally for the rest of my life.
