At the beginning of January, I visited my family in London to watch my younger sister star in a production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as Baroness Bombust. She has always been a performer, being dramatic to her very bones. Watching her on that stage, I was overwhelmed by pride for my little sister. She made me (and the rest of our family) cackle with laughter, and seeing her perform brought us all so much joy. Even though it was so cheerful, it was somewhat strange to see her dancing, singing and acting her heart out on that stage – our childhood flashed before my eyes. Suddenly, we are no longer the children who reenacted Frozen using blankets for Elsa’s cape, but now we have all grown up and are moving into the next stages of our lives. It is a bittersweet feeling overall for all of us. I’m so excited for us to grow together and to see my sister achieve her dreams. However, I miss those carefree days when we used to play teachers and run around the garden.
That same feeling returned during a recent phone call with my brother. It was my birthday, and maybe I was feeling a bit nostalgic, but for the second time in a week, I was reminded of our youth. Remembering those times we used to play together throughout the house and garden as children, then I’m brought back to the reality where we’re both at university and about to graduate. He sounded so mature talking about his life at university and how he’s getting on at work. Although I may not understand when he explains his classes or the mathematical formulae he’s interested in, I’m so proud of everything he has achieved.
There’s an immense sense of pride that comes with being the older sibling. Watching your younger siblings grow up before your very eyes and accomplish their goals is truly one of the most wonderful things. It’s an intense and constant joy, but still comes with a quiet sadness, and a stark reminder that we cannot stop ourselves from growing up. To be reminded of the fact that we are no longer children running around, playing make-believe in the garden.
Editor: Tamima Islam