Anyone with a sister knows they are special. A friend that knows all the family drama, knows your secrets, and knows your most embarrassing moments and never to mention said moments. But a sister you can look up to, one that gives you advice and helps you through hard times, one who will protect you and becomes your role-model over the years, that is one special sister.

For most people, their older sister is their role-model, the one they look up to; the one whose advice is something you listen to no matter what, but for me, that person is my younger sister.

Growing up I always imagined I would be the one who could give advice like it was my job, the one who would experience everything first and be able to help my baby sister through similar situations, and the one who would become her role-model. I looked forward to being her idol, the person she placed on a pedestal and admired like I was someone special. It has always been my dream as an older sister. But that is not how it was, how it is.

I never thought it would be backwards, I never imagined I would want to grow up and be more like her, that I would look up to her in the way that I do. I never thought my younger sister would be my daily inspiration.

But she is, and I would never want it any other way. She is one of the hardest working people I know, dedicated and determined. She wants to be successful in her career and I know she will be, she is just that kind of person, the kind who owns everything they do.

Being the older sister gave me some unspoken responsibilities, which I followed and thought gave me a certain power, a power to make rules and to be the leader. I thought that being the older sister automatically made me the role-model, the one to look up to, but man was I wrong.

That privileged comes with maturity, the way you act and the way you handle life as it comes at you in full force. And my sister does that flawlessly, with a few bumps along the way, but flawlessly nonetheless.

I never knew my younger sister would be so wise, wise beyond her years. She baffles me daily with her reasoning and ability to make you think about life differently. She makes me question my own life decisions and wonder whether I am as emotionally matured as she is. Every time she speaks, she spits knowledge; she knows exactly what to say and is not afraid to say it. She speaks truth, even if it hurts.

Growing up with this type of influence in my life was something I never expected. I never thought that I’d be taking advice from my baby sis more than I would be giving it to her. She needs me too, of course, and I am always there for her, like a sister should be.

One thing I have learned while growing up with my sister, is age doesn’t matter. Of course it means I always get to ride shotgun while driving with a parent, but other than that it means nothing. She can be my idol, daily inspiration, and number one source of advice even though she is younger. But she has also experienced more than I have, she has lived her life a little more freely than I have and I have learned great things from her. Age doesn’t matter, experience does. I’ll be there for her when my experience outreaches hers, and she will be there for me when she is the one with the experience.