Siblings. God's way of giving you best friends. Whether you have one or eight siblings, you know what it is like to be given a best friend. Although my older brother asked my mom when I was leaving after just two weeks of being born, we have become best friends. These are the reasons that siblings are the best friends you can have.

No one understands. No one understands you like a sibling. They know the things that bother you, even if they often exploit that knowledge to bother you. They know your weird habits only because you know theirs too. They've seen you at your worst, and you've seen them at theirs. Even with all these things, they still continue to love you. It's the times when you need to talk to someone and realize a sibling is the only person who will get it. It's when you have a crucial decision to make and know your sibling will give you their honest opinion. No one will ever get you quite like a sibling does.

Secrets. Siblings are (usually) the ultimate secret keepers, unless of course you did something and they want to get you in trouble. But usually, it's fun to keep secrets together and not tell your parents. I know that there was always something that happened growing up that we would vow to never tell anyone else. Who else would you share those stories with, the ones that you'd never, ever tell your parents about?

Influences. Siblings, especially older ones, are the people who introduce you to the good and bad influences in your life. They introduce you to boys/girls, driving, parties, Legos, Barbies, scary movies, and other people. Plus, who else will tell you that Santa and the Easter Bunny aren't real? Those times when you didn't know if you should do something because it was rebellious, who was there to push you to do it? Your sibling. They support you through any decision you make, especially the bad ones.

It is hard to describe the bond siblings share but only they can understand it. Who else would I trade my Halloween candy with after Trick-or-Treating, wake up at 8 a.m. on Christmas morning to go open presents with or make a birthday present for my dad and give him credit for helping even though he did nothing. The terms "sibling" and "best friend" are synonymous.