Appreciation

Siblings are the people that you are supposed to bicker with. They are the people you

annoy on purpose just to get a reaction. They are the people that you text to bring you toilet

paper when you forget to check before you use the restroom. They are always there for you.

Over the last year or so, I began to appreciate my big sister. I have always loved my sister and I

have always appreciated her, but this year has been the year I really began to appreciate my

sister. To understand her more. To love her more.

When I was younger, my sister and I really shared a connection. Now, my sister is 7

years older than me. In most cases the younger sibling always has to annoy the eldest sibling.

Always asking them twenty thousand questions. Always fights or hits them when they are sitting

there. Always poking the bear until you get a reaction. Not me. I saved all the bickering and

fighting for my big brother, the middle child. My sister and I on the other hand always played

together. She always knew what to say to me when I was sad or angry. She used to tell me jokes

and make me laugh for minutes upon minutes without stopping for a breath. Maybe this is

because my sister and I shared one strange but amazing thing. We were both gay. She saw a lot

of myself in her and vice versa. My big sister was and still is my motivation for most of the

things I do in my life. She is so strong and straight forward. She knows what she wants and she

goes out and gets it.

I remember coming home constantly crying because of the bullies at my school. I felt so

alone. My sister would be the first one to realize what was wrong with me. She’d sit with me and

tell me everything was okay and that who I was is just perfect and whoever thinks differently

was stupid. She protected me. She was my safe line. She was doing her job as a big sister. I
constantly had the thought about what I would ever do to repay her and I still think that question

all the time. My sister did things that I thought other people were incapable of doing. My sister

made me feel happy and loved. Not to mention the fact that my sister always cooked some of the

best meals I ever had. She was everything I want to be.

My adolescence kicked in and suddenly I began to not appreciate her as much as I did

was I was a child. I got a phone. I made friends and I started to talk to her a little less. I was so

stupid. There was a time when I thought of her more as just a friend and I didn't respect her like

my sister. I was constantly giving attitude to her, blowing off plans and just outright being not a

good little brother. I wish I could go back and change how I was with her. Don’t get me wrong

siblings are supposed to fight and have their differences but that doesn’t mean that either of them

like to fight. My sister had to deal with my attitude and my large ego. She dealt with the fact that

I was mean to her and she still stayed by my side. She still believed in me. She still thought so

highly of me even though I was not being the nicest to her. My sister loves me.

Her love and devotion to people and the world is so great that words can’t even describe

how amazing she is. She is one of the funniest if not the funniest people I know. Everyone who

meets her instantly falls in love with her and her laid-back personality. She cares so much about

anything and everything. She can even fight someone if she has to and that's why I love her so

much. I love her because she’s strong. She is beautiful. She is the bright light in the dark world.

She is my amazing big sister. That's why I appreciate my sister Journee.