It finally hit me that my little brother is not so little anymore. Watching him grow older is strange; part of me feels like I still have to be the big sister protecting him from bullies at school. My brother is one of the most important people in my life, and I felt motivated to write about it this week.

So, Richard, here's a letter to you as I watch you grow up. Thanks for being my best friend since 2000.

To my younger sibling, as you grow up,

It amazes me that we never went through a "fighting" phase. Apparently, all siblings are supposed to go through a phase where they hate each other. We never did (as far as I know). I think that's a testament to how close we are, even though we're very different.

Anyway, watching you grow older has been a surreal experience for me. When we hang out, I still feel like we're in elementary school, laughing over some of our favorite shows. Of course, a lot has changed, but our friendship seems to have stayed the same.

You've grown so much within the last year alone. I've seen you maximize your potential and change your perspective about the world. First of all, I am so proud of you for deciding to tackle IB. (I guess I'm a little bit biased there.) Second of all, I'm glad you've started trying new things to figure out what interests you. You are so brave in all that you do; you are certainly braver than I was at your age. I know that great things will happen for you if you keep on this path.

As you've gotten older, I've found that you're looking out for me just as much as I'm looking out for you. Thank you for always being down to get ice cream late at night when things get tough. And thank you for never judging me and letting me vent to you about college life. (You'll be here one day, too, and you'll understand.)

I know that I can always count on you. I hope you feel like you can always count on me, too.

Keep growing and keep learning.

Love,

Your (pain-in-the-butt) older sister