I feel very honored and privileged to have grown up with my sister Emma. I cannot imagine having a better sibling and am so grateful for the opportunity I had to grow up with her. We have been through a lot together, not all of it easy. But no matter what’s happened, I am continually amazed at how the love and shared experience we have has kept us close and resilient through good times and bad.
Emma and I grew up in a loving home. Our mom was keen on teaching us values of love, learning, and growing that have led us to become great friends over time. In the course of our upbringing, any rift we had was short-lived, as we were continually taught to show kindness, love, and a desire to understand one another. Our childhood education varied between elementary, montessori and homeschool groups, but most of the time we were taught at home by our mom. Not only did she teach us the value in gaining an education and appreciating what the world and culture have to offer, but she also kindled that spark of desire to love learning and seek out every opportunity to do so.
During that time, there were many moments where we had a lot of fun together too. We had a large collection of stuffed animals (varying from dogs and rabbits to deer and pandas) we played with to create elaborate stories and entertained each other for hours. Most of our stories had a Pride and Prejudice or Seven Brides for Seven Brothers theme, and a lot of humor and comedy was created along the way. Similar turnouts happened for stories we did with Legos or other toys we had. There were many moments when we made each other laugh, and the fun and creativity had no limit. It was a golden time we look back on together often, and I am so grateful for the memories we share with that. I think it cemented our own creativity and love for stories that left a profound impact on our souls and has remained with us throughout our lives.
Emma has also been incredibly kind and helpful to me throughout my life. Growing up a disabled boy with cerebral palsy, there were many things I needed physical help with, and Emma has always been so attentive to what those needs may be, like help with preparing meals, taking my hand to help me walk somewhere, or finding a chair for me to sit in when I’d been walking too long. Along with that, whenever I feel sad, scared, or struggle to understand something, she is quick to offer words of comfort, clarity, and common sense that help me settle down and know everything will be all right. She inspires me to be a better brother, and I’ve learned so much from her example over time.
We also have had many experiences together that proved difficult and challenging but were instrumental in helping us come closer together. While our dad was often emotionally absent or abusive, we did our best to have a relationship with him, even when it was hard. Life has also brought challenges that have been trying to our patience and faith, but things have always turned out fine, and I know our mutual love and closeness has helped us stay strong through it all.
Having a sibling is a special gift. I have known no better friendship or mutual connection than with my sister. I believe such relationships can be a blessing for all of us.