My sister is three years my senior. For all my life I’ve looked up to her, at least when we weren’t mortal enemies, ready to scratch each other’s eyes out in defense of our respective sides of the bed. Other than that, she’s been a font of wisdom and sophistication, and when we were younger and the age gap seemed bigger, I pretty much idolized her.
As we’ve gotten older, the age gap has narrowed, but there are times when I still rely on her guidance. Over the years, I’ve complied a list of ways she’s guided me down the path of life. Here are some of the things only a big sister can do:
- Put her arm around a little sister’s slumping shoulders to hide her slouch.
- Outgrow her sister dress and pass it down for another year or two of wearing.
- Get Mom to help after her little sister throws up or wets both sides of the bed.
- Teach a klutzy little sister how to jump rope, play jacks, and color between the lines.
- Warn her not to date certain guys with bad reputations.
- Fight for a reasonable curfew that benefitted her younger siblings.
- Encourage her sister to make a risky career change.
- Tell her sister she was a good mother, no matter what choices her kids made.
- Get up early the day after Thanksgiving to drive around Minneapolis so her sister could bargain shop for wedding presents.
- Provide feedback about mother-of-the-groom and mother-of-the-bride dresses on the day after Thanksgiving, never once mentioning her little sister’s stomach pooching out because of too much Chex mix, too much pie and that extra helping of mashed potatoes on Turkey Day.
Once the weddings are history, “arranging flowers” and “being a pillar of strength during emotional meltdowns” will make the list, I’m sure.
Maybe someday, I’ll get to help my sister as much as she’s helped me. But if I can’t, it’ll be okay. Because there’s one more thing only a big sister can do. She loves you no matter what.
And that’s the best thing of all.
