My little sister and I are 11 years apart in age. There are no other siblings between us, and yes, we have the same parents. Being an only child for so long, it was a little odd when my parents announced that I would soon be an older sister. There were a lot of mixed emotions and the transition and preparation itself was a mixture of feelings. Today, and every day since she was born, I wouldn't trade the way it is- for anything. My little sister is the light of my life and our age gap has no negative bearings on our relationship. It actually enhances our relationship, and here are a few reasons why my sister Kapria is my whole world, and how our age gap only makes our relationship stronger.

1. We have no reason to fight.

There's hardly any topics or personal things that we have to disagree about. We don't wear the same size clothes, we don't have similar social issues, and we’re not interested in the exact same things. Rather than arguing, we’re able to bounce ideas off one another and share our struggles constructively.

2. We both get attention from our parents.

Being interested and involved in different things, Kapria and I also don’t have to struggle for our parents’ attention. Being without a sibling for 11 years provided me with my own time to cherish my parents individually and my memories with them. Now that I am in college, it's as if Kapria is somewhat of an only child, too. Obviously, being far apart in age, Kapria and I are on different levels in our lives; academically, athletically, and socially. These distinctions allow for each of us to share various things with our parents, and they still remain completely interested and devoted to our activities because they can dedicate their full time to our separate events.

3. We can teach each other new things.

Being the older sister, it would seem as if I would be the one constantly teaching Kapria. However, this is not always the case and she constantly teaches me new things and in different ways than what I have shown her. When she was younger, I would read to her and we would then read the books together so she could understand and learn new words. Now, Kapria is an extremely talented soccer player and she can teach me different things about soccer and how to play the sport, because soccer was never my specialty as a child.

4. We have our own experiences to learn and grow from.

Although it’s valuable to guide each-other in the subjects we’re more knowledgeable in, it’s also important that we both have individual experiences to help us develop. Part of becoming yourself is finding your own way and methods of thinking. We have a healthy and equal balance of teaching and learning.

5. She's still my best friend.

Some outsiders may think it’s difficult for us to maintain a tight bond because of our many differences produced by the age gap. However, I would still consider Kapria one of my closest friends. Even though I may not be able to tell her details of what I’m going through because of the maturity barrier, she can sense when I’m upset or stressed. We still share inside jokes, make fun memories, and challenge each other to our full potential. She’s there for me when I need her and vice versa.

Whether Kapria and I are 11 years apart or 2, I don’t think anything could come between our special bond of sisterhood. There is a special bond between all sisters and being far apart in age doesn’t hinder our relationship whatsoever. Our relationship grows stronger, happier, and healthier every day and I can’t wait to share the delight of all the amazing opportunities she will experience.