A Thank You To Big Sisters (From A Little Brother)

When you’re a little brother, your first enemy is your big sister. You vie for your parents’ attention, bicker, and fight daily. Your parents or family members will tell you, “One day, you’re going to be all each other has so you better start liking each other,” but those are just words at that point. There’s no value or meaning behind that statement.

Then your relationship with your older sister changes. She starts dating, hanging out with high school friends, and is trying to find her own identity away from the rule of her parents, teachers, and mentors. That’s when the little brother believes it’s his job to take the side of the authority figures and make sure that his sister doesn’t start messing up. He’ll snitch and snoop around his sister’s room playing detective for any useful clues. He doesn’t quite understand the importance of privacy or only thinks privacy matters when it’s important to him. He also doesn’t like that she’s not paying attention to him anymore.

And then something will happen, because something always happens. The little brother will need advice or help and he can’t turn to his parents or authority figures because he’ll get in trouble so he has to go to his big sister. Of course, she’s there for her baby brother because in her eyes, that’s exactly what you are, a baby still. Someone who has experiences, but hasn’t truly experienced much. The older sister will figure out the best plan of action and will come to her brother’s aid.

Your relationship then changes for the better and you start to trust each other. You actually enjoy each other’s company. That’s the moment when the little brother realizes, “Hey, maybe my big sis isn’t all that bad.” Suddenly, all of the arguing and name-calling doesn’t matter anymore. It’s in the past and you’re both new people. You know you can rely on your big sister and do your best to make sure you’re there for her in return, too.

For all of the big sisters out there who always have the best interest of their little brothers in mind and heart, this one’s for you.

Thank You For:

• Paving the way with our parents so that they were strict on you, but relaxed with me.
• Knocking me down when I was little, but building me up as I matured.
• Teaching me to learn how to have fun, but also be responsible.
• Not tattling on me to Mom and Dad, even though I tattled on you any chance I could.
• Going after the neighborhood bullies and telling them that if they bothered me, they had to deal with you.
• Telling me to “get a life.”
• Those times you picked me up from high school parties with no questions asked when my friends and I needed a ride home.
• Always having a soft spot for me.
• Protecting me in battles against our parents because you know life is always better with someone else on your side.
• For showing me how to roll with the punches and think on my feet.
• Respecting the choices and decisions I make, even if you don’t always agree with them.
• The inside jokes we have that no one else will understand, but we can always go back to if we need a laugh.
• Teaching me to trash talk, even if I’m still horrible at it.
• Not calling me weak when I cry.
• Showing me how to be independent and rely on myself.
• Attending my sports games and telling me I did a good job, even though I know you weren’t paying any attention.
• Warning me about certain types of people I’d come into contact with at some point in my life and preparing me for those moments.
• Letting me know honestly when you don’t like the girls I’m dating, even though you know I’m going to lash out at you and then tell you, “You were right” later on.
• Teaching me based on mistakes you’ve made in the past that you don’t want me to make.
• Making sure my clothes are always fashionable and appropriate for whatever situation I’m entering.
• Supporting my dreams.
• Always loving me, even if you didn’t always like being around me.
• Allowing me to stay over your apartment or home with less than twenty minutes notice.
• Making fun of me when my ego becomes too big, but not kicking me when I’m down.
• Cooking homemade meals for me.
• Letting me use your car when I had a license, but no vehicle.
• Allowing me to pick the restaurants we eat at when we’re together.
• Helping with my transition from boyhood to manhood.
• For being my biggest champion.