To My Sister,

I look at you often and think, "Can someone please explain to me how this person and I are cut from the same cloth?" I inherited our father's face and you lucked out with mom's grace. I am sensitive beyond belief where you are tough as nails and borderline brutal. You were the cheerleader. You had tons of friends and rarely stayed home on the weekends where I have always been a loner and am the biggest homebody in the world. I never could catch a break but you have always sailed through life with ease. We are very different people, but I wouldn't want us any other way.

I am so very grateful that you are nothing like me. I thank God that our lives haven't run the same course. I am happy to know that you never walked through a crowded hallway and felt like no one noticed you. I am glad that even when you are broken, you never let anyone see your cracks. I feel better knowing you are not the kind of woman who will ever let anyone walk all over her like dirt beneath their feet like I have. I take pride in knowing you will always speak your mind, even when you feel that your opinions will be ridiculed by others instead of going along with the popular ideals. I feel relief seeing you with a good man - one who loves and respects you and makes you feel at ease with yourself and you don't have to spend a single second of your life crying on the floor of your bedroom because the person who has promised to love you forever is also the person who makes you feel like you are not worthy of the life you've been given like I did. I am glad that you have unapologetically been yourself whether it was accepted or not and have never tried to be a person you are not. I am glad that you know what it's like to be able to walk out the door makeup free and your hair undone and know that you are beautiful without all the added frills unlike me, as I will spend hours doing my hair and makeup and hiding my skin until I feel like I might be able to receive one nice compliment while I'm out to feel validated with myself.

So thank you, sister, for being my opposite and being strong where I am weak. You are the ying to my yang and though I don't tell you enough, what makes you different than I am is what makes you my lifelong hero. I am eternally grateful that you exist.

Sincerely,

Your Sister