Dear Little Brother,

You’re fifteen now and a sophomore in high school. When did that happen? Just know no matter how old you get or how tall you grow you’ll always be LITTLE to me. We’ve shared something precious: our childhoods. I have no memories of life without you there. In my memories you’re always there.

But I’m leaving soon. I’m going to college. Will you miss me? I’ll miss you, though I won’t admit it. Plus, I might not for a while. It’s exciting, really it is. One day you’ll feel the same way. You told me once that you did. Miss me, that is. You missed that I didn’t play video games with you. I was too busy. At practice, doing homework. I grew up.

I’ve enjoyed doing things with you, though. Show choir, marching band, the musical. I’m sorry I’ll miss that next year. I’ll miss being excited with you. I’ll miss our car rides back and forth from practice. On my birthday you wrote me a letter that made me cry. I still have it. I still have a lot of things. Things you may have forgotten about. Maybe I’ll give them to you someday. Then again, maybe I won’t.

Don’t get a big head. You’re still annoying. And you’ll always be little. But I still love you, never doubt that. And I’ll always support you. When life gets rough just call me. I’ll bring you home.

My favorite memory of you is of playing with Star Wars action figures as kids. The stories we made up were so outlandish it was awesome. And you had quite the imagination. I still make up stories, but if a different kind. Please never lose your imagination.

I’m not saying goodbye. Not yet. I’ll come home often enough. All you have to do is ask that I come to see your favorite half-time show and I’ll try to be there. And nothing could make me miss the musical (you’re going to have the starring role, right?). Things are about to change for you. I wish I could tell you what it’s going to be like and tell you something to guide you through. But I don’t know what it’s going to be like. You’re going to have to face it by yourself. You’ll be fine, though. I know you’ll be fine.

So there. I said it. Wrote it, actually. You’re sitting on the couch as I type and you have no idea. You won’t until I show you. I’ll show it to you on the internet where I’ve posted it so others can read it and be inspired to hug their little siblings a little harder

(provided they hug at all). See there? You’ve inspired people. Keep your head up.

I love you,

Your big sister.