What it means to be a sister

Dear Guin and Willow,

I watch the two of you sharing each day together, and it is becoming increasingly obvious to me how important you are to each other.  You fight.  A lot.  But you are each other's best companion.  And I hope someday you realize how important of a job being a sister is. 

It's a lesson I was fortunate enough to learn for myself.  Someday when you have a bigger understanding of the world I will tell you the story of your aunt Mindy, and why she isn't here anymore.  There are still times where I can't be present with you because of that story, but I will leave that for another day.

Guin, you should know that you have been Willow's best example from the day she was born.  She started walking at a tiny seven months old because she saw you doing it and wanted to keep up with you.  She will continue to learn from you and eventually it will make you crazy.  She will borrow your clothes, not to make you mad, but to be a little more like you.  Someday she will take you off of the pedistal she holds you on, but for now, even when you are mean to her, you do no wrong.  She looks up to you, and hers is a love you will never get from anyone else in your life.

Willow, from the time you joined our family you have been your own little person.  You broke every expectation that we had of what it meant to raise a baby, and you challenged your sister in ways that we never could have.  You've already taught Guin what it means to share.  Not just toys, but attention, affection, giggles, and tears.  You give her a reason to think about people other than herself, and that is a lesson that both of you will carry through the rest of your lives.  You may feel like you are the one learning from your older sister, but little woman, you are the teacher. 

The two of you are so lucky to have each other.  Your sister will be the one person in your life who has known you at your core - she will be there through all of the successes and failures of my parenting.  She will be there to teach you lessons that your friends and classmates and boyfriends or girlfriends can't teach you.  She will lie to me to keep you out of trouble... or to get you into trouble... She will challenge you and enlighten you and maybe punch you in the face.  But there is nobody in the world that could replace that other tiny woman in your life.  You already have so much love for each other - from the moment you wake up in the morning, the one of you who gets up first can't last more than five minutes without waking the other.  The sunshine of the new day must be shared.

So as you grow, I will always remind you what a huge job you each have.  Being a sister is important.  It's a huge task that you've been unknowingly assigned, and a huge gift that you don't yet have the life experience to truly appreciate.  Remember as you grow that you are responsible to each other, but not for each other.  That you will grow seperately, but never apart.  That you are rooted in love.  Appreciate each other.  You will never be alone.

Love,
Mom