An Open Letter to my Baby Sister

“There is no better friend than a sister, and no better sister than you.”

-Anon

To My Sister,

You are absolutely bonkers, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“You’ve been on my mind Sister, we’re two of a kind.”

Today I thought of us when we were in primary school. You a new entrant, me a few years above and all the things we faced together.

“Are you adopted?”

“You guys look different.”

“Why are you white and your sister black?”

Kids aye, they ask some pretty tough questions.

You’re my sister. Through thick and thin, we never questioned that we were created by God to have a sisterhood that words cannot explain and that other people will never understand. We have a friendship unlike any other, perfect, with rocky times and times of harmony.

I think about the school discos we went to dressed up like zoo animals, or with pipe cleaners in our hair, wearing our favourite pretty dresses.

The Saturday mornings of Netball where you were gearing to go throw a ball around and I was dreading the sensation of rough basketball on my cold hands.

The days where we were craving sugar and would secretly whip up a whole batch of brownies, eat it all in one go and groan through a tummy ache before Mum even got home.

The way we had each others back even if it meant snitching on each other because “Chelsea kissed a boy!” or “Olivia has a boyfriend!”

“Sister, I’m keeping my eye on you.”

We have always accepted our quirks. When Dad would take us to a market and question our choice in purchase when instead of ice cream we chose sparkly cushions, we high fived each other for being house proud at 10 and 7 years old.

When I first held you in my arms, a three year old, so excited to have a baby sister, I had no idea how much you would mean to me.

You’re bossy, loud, quirky and strange. You make me laugh so hard it hurts. You make me smile when no one else can. You break my heart, you make me proud. You brought life to our family when you gave me the precious gift of my niece who feels as though she’s my daughter too.

“I’m something, I hope you think that you’re something too!”

You are beautiful. Perfectly made in Gods image, knit together by Him from the very beginning of your existence. You are kind, always ready to mend things. You are loyal, never backing down from a challenge and loving your family even when things haven’t gone your way or we have had trials, you know where your roots are.

You can dance! Oh my goodness you can dance! Whether you’re being a total goof like Mr Bean or rocking it out to High School Musical, you are so body aware and it’s boss. I mean you should get into physical theatre, you’d nail it.

“So shake your shimmy, Sister.”

You light up my life.

I know things haven’t been easy, our family has been through so much together. You have your own battles and sometimes they feel overwhelming. Do not give up. You are stronger than you think. You are not alone. God is carrying you, and I will always have your back. Nothing is too big, you will come through any hard patch and He will make you new, stronger than before.

“Sister, remember your name. No twister is gonna steak your stuff away, my sister.”

I believe in you.

You are a lioness. Huge heart, fierce, strong and protective.

Maybe you tower over me now, but you will always be my baby sister.

Chelsea xx

“Side by side or miles apart, we are sisters connected by the heart.”

-Frozen