An Open Letter to...My Sister

This is the first installment of the series entitled, "An Open Letter to...". If you would like to participate in this series, please visit the Guest Posting page!

Dear Sister,

There's a quote that says "there's no better friend than a sister." It's printed on Hallmark cards, and pillows, and art to hang on the walls. It's one of those clichés that you find when you do a Google search of "gifts for your sister" or "sister quotes." And, even though it's kind of cheesy and every sister in the world has heard it, I think it's true.

Sister, I've known you for your whole life, I've seen you grow up and develop some awesome character traits. You're so determined and strong-willed and responsible. Even at fifteen, I saw you exhibiting motherly characteristics and understanding things that were well beyond your years. 

I've been there through the good things in your life—I’m your number one fan, because I’m your older sister and I am so proud of you and your accomplishments. But I’ve also been through the hard things with you. There's no one else in this world who has experienced everything that you have, except me. Moving, our parent’s divorce, confusion—I know how you feel, because I feel those same things.

Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." We are sisters for a reason, we were born to love each other at ALL times (even those times when we were younger and we got on each other’s nerves), we were born to stand next to each other and stand up for one another and just be there when things were rough. 

I won't always have the words to say to comfort you, and I won't always be close enough to give you a hug, but I promise to always be available to listen to you, to pray for you, to cry with you and rejoice with you. Because you're not only my sister, but you're my dearest friend.

I want to say thank you—because you have taught me a lot. You are the first person I’ve loved more than myself, the person I was most sad about leaving when I went to college. You taught me responsibility and patience and how to laugh in the most ridiculous ways at the most ridiculous things. 

I hope you have learned from me as well, from my mistakes and my advice and the way I live my life. But what I hope you have learned the most is love. I want you to know and believe how loved you are, by so many people—our parents, me, friends, family. I want you to know and believe in the crazy good love of God. You are loved dearly, more than you can imagine.

I love you little sister.

Love,

   Brittanie