It is safe to say I would not be the person I am today without my sister. Older siblings love to complain about how much of responsibility a younger sibling may be and, not to mention, the nuisance they can be. In reality, the truth is their sibling has likely influenced them in many ways.
I distinctly remember hanging on to the edge of my seat for my father to pick me up so that I could see my newly born, baby sister. I was extremely excited, yet the feeling of worry that my parents might forget me still lingered. Six at the time, I treated my sister as my doll; singing with her, dressing her up, and feeding her food whenever I got the chance. I see the same feelings of excitement, yet still worry as years have gone by as my relationship with my sister has changed. Through our twelve years of being siblings, I have come to the following conclusions:
I worry for her future. With a six year age gap, I find myself constantly trying to protect my sister from the perils of transitioning from a child to a teenager. The truth is though, no matter how much we try to protect our siblings, they will experience sadness and disappointment as they learn to navigate themselves. No matter what I might say or do, I have to allow my sister to experience the same things I did, whether good or bad. It is often difficult to hold myself back when I know I can help her avoid a difficult time, but there is a balance between taking control and helping. We have to allow our siblings to write their own path. We can help though!
2. I have become a better person because of her. As cliche as this may sound, it is true. As I help my sister navigate through her life, I find myself taking my own advice that I have given to her. I have become more introspective, patient, and surprisingly decisive. She has taught me to think out the things I say more thoroughly, and be more compassionate towards others no matter how they may treat me. By simply being present, our siblings teach us skills that would not be learned otherwise.
3. She is my biggest supporter and best friend. At my highest and lowest points, my sister has always been there. She knows when to give me my space and when to jump up and down with me. I can never say I have truly been lonely, as she is always in my presence. As I transfer off to college in September, I worry about who I will turn to on a daily basis. I am truly fortunate to have the ability to bestow my trust in my little sister. If you have a sibling you are able to trust, you are an extremely lucky individual and take the time to appreciate this fact once in awhile.
Clearly, having a sibling influences an individual's life in one way or another. Although there are times we are at each other's necks, there is absolutely nothing else that could have taught me the lessons I have learned because of her. If I were you, I would take the time to maybe grab lunch with your sibling this week; I promise it will not be time wasted.
