To my "other little brothers,"

I love having a little brother.

When people ask me why, the answer isn't hard for me to come up with. My little brother is great. And in having a little brother, I have also adopted his friends over the years and have gotten an army of little brothers that mean the world to me, brothers I couldn't imagine my life without. Yes, one of those little brothers is you.

I've known some of you since you were small. Some of you, I've met within the last few years. At the end of the day, though, none of that matters. What matters is I know you, and I have chosen to care about you. I have made a conscious decision to check in on you, to guide you when needed, and to have your back. The minute my brother came into your life, I did too. I have touched some of you more than I have touched others, yes. But you have also had just as much of an impact on me and on who I am as a person.

Admittedly, I laugh with you and talk with you more than I laugh and talk to my own brother. I know about your lives, and you know about mine. As much as my brother may be bothered by that, I think he secretly likes that he has a sister that his friends want around. Since it's not in my brother's nature to talk to me about things, I love that you do. I love that I can be there for you, help you grow as a person, and give you advice on any and everything you may need. You know me well, if I forwarded this letter to you. You know that helping and bettering people is one of my favorite things in this world to do. You have helped me do that, whether I am giving you an opinion on an essay, helping you with a girl, or just asking how your day is going. I am glad I can be that person for you. I am honored that you have trusted in me and given me that opportunity. There is no bigger honor, and I take my job very seriously.

I know it is hard in a world where people constantly let others down to trust that people will be loyal. I know it is hard to open your heart up to life and to the opportunities it presents to you. I know there is a fear of getting hurt, a fear of not being good enough, a fear of rejection from that girl, a fear of not getting into the college of your dreams. I know that, because I've been there (except let's switch the girl to boy) and sometimes, life can beat you down. I want to let you know one very important thing... no matter what happens in life, and no matter where you stand with my brother, I will always be there for you. It won't matter if you haven't talked to me in years. If you call me tomorrow needing something, I will be there. You can count on that .

I'm also really proud of all of you. I am so proud of the young men you are becoming. High school has only gotten harder. There is so much pressure to be something greater, to be the best at whatever you do. To do as much as possible, in as little time as possible, and to do it exceptionally well. It is very easy to crumble under the pressure school, sports, and even our own parents put on us. But you guys are doing it, and you are excelling. I am not only proud of that, but I am also proud of the people you are. I see kindness in you, I see compassion in you. You are all great kids with so much potential... and I believe in you wholeheartedly. In case you haven't heard that lately, here is someone reminding you.

I also thank you for being there for me, and for showing me my worth and potential. When I've needed it, you have offered me words of wisdom, encouragement, and emotional support. Some of you have truly seen me at my worst, and have still decided to see the best in me. You have chosen to show me that I am worth so much more than whatever I have gone through, or what has been said about me. You see in me what I sometimes forget to see, and I thank you for that with all my heart. Lately, I've really been analyzing the people in my life, and I wrote this because I realize that you are some of the best I could possibly ask for. My brother has picked some pretty amazing friends for himself, and I'm just as blessed as he is to have you in my life.

If you can take anything away from this letter, let it be this: I love you, I am so proud of you, and I'm going to be here for you no matter what. There's no better "other little brothers" than you guys. I'm so grateful.

Love,

Your friend's sister