When your sister is also your best friend, you are never alone. My sister has always been unapologetically herself and is my role model for that reason.

Being able to call your sister your best friend is one of the greatest feelings. It means so much to be able to go home to someone who will always listen to you and have your best interests at heart, no matter what. Two years older than me, she is currently studying to be a nurse, and she is the most intelligent person that I know. Throughout my life, she has been miles ahead of actual doctors, accurately diagnosing various health-related problems my family has, encompassing a large stretch of medical knowledge.

She is so knowledgeable in areas that I am not, and I am constantly learning from her in every experience and conversation. Her understanding of human emotion is vast, yet still completely empathetic. She just knows how people work, how they feel, and how to effectively communicate with them. So many people are aloof to the way other people think, and their advice comes off as insensitive, but she takes in account the feelings of every party involved. No matter the issue I come to her with, she responds without judgment, and with honest gentleness. I aspire to one day be this way, able to so easily comprehend other people. We may have our disagreements, like any pair of siblings, but in the end, we respect each others' perspectives. We could talk for hours about any subject without either of us getting bored.

At any point in my life, I can bring up an example of a time when my sister was there for me, whether it be giving me advice, standing up for me, or cheering me up. Coming home after school to watch Rachel Ray, or whoever else was on the Food Network, became a tradition for us. Despite our very basic knowledge, we would then go into the kitchen, throwing whatever we could find together to make new creations. One night, we found ourselves with a cake (of questionable nature), topped with carrots and ice cream cones. Nights were spent watching bad Lifetime movies or creating complex storylines with her collection of Barbies, and I would not change any second of it. She is one of the few people who can make me cry with laughter upon any occasion.

More than anything, my sister has instilled a sense of confidence in me through her constant support of whatever endeavor I choose to pursue. Her positive energy encourages me to be my truest self, and be proud of myself and what I have accomplished, as difficult as that tends to be for me. Every paragraph-long Instagram caption under a collage of photos of us on my birthday makes my day considerably better. Having this support system -- one who I can be completely honest with, has helped me grow into the person I am today. Without her, I would not have the confidence to pursue my hobbies, and even go to college. She is always taking steps to better herself as a person, and better the lives of those around her, and that is so inspiring.

To this day, I have never met anyone who is so adept in understanding the range of human emotion that we all encompass. As I know she is reading this, I want to say thank you, which I definitely do not say enough. Thank you for everything -- for your generosity, for your compassion, and for your patience. I am definitely not always the most open with my emotions, but your standing by me has meant the world. I cannot wait to stand by you during all of your successes in life, and stay by your side through all of the positive, and negative, experiences we may face.