For my brothers,
As your older sister, I have always felt like I was supposed to protect you two even though I am now officially the shortest person in the family. As siblings, we have always fought, and I know I’m not always your favorite person. But remember all the nights we spent watching TV shows and movies while I babysat you two? All the hours we spent playing video games (Tekken, Call of Duty, Burnout, and most importantly Star Wars Battlefront) that eventually ended in yelling matches (spoiler alert: we made up at some point). All the inside, immature jokes that we shared. When Mom forced us to play together outside for an hour, and we pretended the yard was the sea, and we were pirates on our own ships. Even though we didn’t always get along, we had so much fun together before life and responsibilities got in the way.
Recent birthdays have forced me to reminisce on these memories because Matthew just turned seventeen, and Daniel turned thirteen. It’s surreal for me to watch you two grow up and get older because I can remember what I was doing at that age, and it doesn’t seem that far away. At thirteen, I was starting high school and moving across the country. At seventeen, I was graduating high school, getting my first car, working at my first job, and starting college. As the oldest in my family, it’ll be weird to see you go through the same milestones; however, I’ll be there to help you through it whether you want it or not.
I’ll help you with your long nights of homework (unless it’s math; I’ll edit all the papers though). Even if you don’t think they need it, I’ll offer relationship advice and fulfill my older sibling duties and tell their girlfriends about all the embarrassing stories you have (consider it payback for telling my exes all the stories about me). I’ll remind you that as you grow up, it’s okay not to know what you want to do for the rest of your life. You’ll change what you want to do with your life multiple times before you find out what you want to do, and that’s just how it works. It’s also important to realize that some friends are toxic; you really do start to become like who you hang out with. Instead, hold onto the ones that make you a better person. Most importantly, I’ll be there whenever you need me because that’s what family is for.
I know that our family isn’t the best with communicating our feelings effectively and openly, and we like to show our love through humor and teasing, so I wanted to write this article to show you that I do care, even if they don’t realize it yet. I love you two, and you have so many good things ahead of you. Don’t worry; I have your back.
HC,
Alyssa Harmon