If you have a sister, you know the struggle of the relationship being both a blessing and a curse. Some days you can’t even stand the thought of being around her, and other days you won’t want to be around anyone but her. I think the reason why we may have so many disagreements with our sisters is simply by virtue of the fact that we live together. We have to learn to give our sisters a break, no matter how much they can get on our nerves. In a way, our sisters are the people that know us, understand us and love us the most. Here are 7 reasons why despite the lows, your sister will always be your best friend.
1. They are the only ones who understand your parents like you do.
One of the main sources of anxiety can come from fights with your parents. Arguing with your parents, regardless of whether or not it happens frequently, is only ever upsetting. And explaining to your friends all of your mixed emotions can be difficult because they can never truly understand how and why your parents act the way they do. Whenever I try to express my concern about the disagreements I am having with my mom, my friends try to offer solutions that I know just will not work. The only person who really gets it is your sister. Your sister is the only one who has been there before – pretty much in your exact shoes – probably many times before. She’s the only person who will really hear your side and be able to offer meaningful and helpful advice. This is one issue specifically that sisters (and siblings in general) are always willing to put aside differences for, because most likely, you both share the same perspective.
2. They are the only ones who grew up the same way.
Everyone grows up differently, so everyone has their own unique story to tell. The way you were raised can influence the person you become. This is what makes relationships dynamic – the fact that we all bring something different to the table and all have different memories that formed our separate values. But because none of us grew up in the same way, no one can really truly know the “why’s” of what makes us who we are. That is, except for your sister. Your sister (almost always) grew up the same way, in the same house with the same parents. So she knows why you have an imminent fear of flying – she was there on your first plane ride when you were seven and the whole plane experienced turbulence. She watched you evolve into the person you are today from birth, and you watched her. One of the most special bonds sisters have is the fact that you did it together.
3. Sharing clothes will always be annoyingly ok.
Don’t get me wrong, sharing clothes can be annoying. But there’s a certain give and take that comes with sharing clothes with your sister. I know I get super annoyed with my sister when she borrows my clothes without asking, but sometimes when I am in a rush getting ready to go out and I’m just fed up with my wardrobe (or I’m home from college on break and left practically all my clothes at school), I like to think that all of my sister’s clothes are here, in the same house, for my… taking? Just if I really need to…
4. She has seen you at your lowest lows.
Going back to the idea of how you sister has quite literally watched you grow up, whether you are the younger sister or the elder, you have both seen each other during your darkest times. There are these times in your life that are so painful that they break you, and the only people who really see you like that is your family. I know at least for me, some of my hardest times my friends barely know about. The people in my family are the ones who helped me though those times, and luckily, your sister is a part of that. The fact that she has been with you through everything just further reinforces how comfortable and easy the nature of your relationship is – she is the one person you never need to feel like you need to impress. She’s been there, she knows you, she will never think any less of you.
5. The resilience of your relationship is unbeatable.
Arguing with your sister is a funny thing. From personal experience, I know you can be in a screaming match one minute and snuggling watching Friends together the next. Even when you argue, the funny thing about sisters is that deep down, they truly do support you and love you unconditionally. That love is inherent, they just can’t show it all the time. Being born in the same family, it is practically their job to love you, even when you’re being crazy. That’s the nice thing about having a built in best friend – they can’t leave.
6. They love you in a way no one else can.
The love your sister feels for you is a different kind of love. It’s familial and also friendly, because unlike most people who play just one role in your life, they have two: they double as a friend and as a family member. They can be both at once, and they can be one or the other. They can slip in and out of these roles easily so they can be whoever you need them to be in that moment. It’s this kind of love that means more than just family, because they’re bound to you by genes but also by choice. As females, there is no relationship as powerful as a bond between sisters, because your sister will be there for you as the person you need them to be – not the person you want them to be – whenever you need them.
