My Journey into Sisterhood

Sometimes, I wonder what it’s like to be an only child. To not have to worry about someone taking your clothes or eating your leftover pizza or making a mess in the bathroom after just cleaning it up. Sometimes, I wonder what it’s like to only have to worry about yourself. But for over 17 years, I haven’t had to experience that. For 17 years, I have been blessed enough to call my sister my best friend.

Anna Grace is a bubbly, headstrong, spunky 17-year-old. She’s now an upcoming senior in high school, although it feels as if she was just a freshman, with me showing her the secrets of surviving the next four years of her life. We are two and a half years apart and grew up like any other pair of sisters—fighting over the silliest things. My parents would listen to us screeching across the house about who used the rest of the shampoo and didn’t throw the bottle away, about who only left ONE waffle in the freezer instead of two, and about who borrowed the other’s shirt even though we said they couldn’t wear it. Actually, who am I kidding? We still fight about those things to this day. But if you can believe it, I wouldn’t want it any other way. Hissy fits, door slamming, and wrestling matches are the typical lives of every sibling relationship. It’s a proven fact.

Normally, when we’ve had time to cool down after the bickering, I trudge into her room, asking if she wants to go get food with me.

The answer is always yes, and those are the kind of moments I live for. The cheery, good-natured, harmonious moments that result in bent over, hands-on-your-knees laughter.

That’s when the acknowledgement of appreciation and gratitude comes into picture.

You see, not everyone is so fortunate.

I have a sister that balances me out. I can read her mind and she can read mine. I can give her a look and she knows exactly what I’m thinking. We know each other’s emotions and we know how each of us will react to a situation. We laugh together, we cry together, and we live life together. We’re pretty much Batman and Robin in the sister realm. We truly just click.

August of 2017, I had to leave my best friend, my Robin, behind.

When I left for college last fall, it was rough for the both of us. But even from three hours away, Anna Grace continued to give me the utmost support she had always given to me. She motivated me to work my hardest through 95-degree soccer practices, she pushed me to be the best when I thought I couldn’t push any more, and she even surprised me after one of my games. It had been three months since the last time I saw her so it’s safe to say that we both cried. A lot.

We knew this day would eventually come. The key word here is eventually. However, we didn’t realize how soon it would actually be. How could I leave the one person I had all of my life? The one person I knew would be there without fail? The one person who would take my side no matter what the circumstances were? My person for life.

When we were finally adjusted to the fact that I was moved out, Anna Grace would wear the T-shirts I left at home to bed, she FaceTimed me whenever she could, and she told my mom how much she missed me every day. We would gossip over the phone and speak as if nothing had changed. We didn’t want things to change. (Keep in mind that we had never been away from each other for more than a short trip of about two or three days.)

The concept of Anna Grace no longer living down the hallway was quite difficult for me to grasp. I couldn’t shout and ask a question from my room, anticipating an answer immediately. I couldn’t ask her to have a “sissy sleepover” whenever we wanted. I couldn’t ask her to do anything because we now lived three hours apart, which is obviously way too far to try and yell her name. I’d get a sore throat.

With this emotional transition, my sister and I learned that with life comes many lessons, and this was definitely one of those moments. I learned to appreciate the little things along with the big things—singing along to songs in the car, teasing each other, and sister hugs that can cure anything that’s wrong. I learned to be thankful for all of the years that were spent together and for all of the memories made. I learned to cherish the friendship built and the bond created.

I’m grateful for many things, and Anna Grace will always be one of them.

#sister #family #bestfriend