Big Sister

I'd like to start by saying: "I AM NOT, the big sister of my family!" It's true I have a younger brother but in our relationship, I'm at times more a little sister. This is not because he is 6ft tall and I am barely in the 5ft range. No this is because I have come to learn who the true big sisters are in a family!

Today I learned something about life as it pertains to being a sibling.

I hope my now roommate and new best friend of the past two years Sarah does not mind but this work of art is due to her she inspired this one so its kind of about her. Though it also has my big sister Heather in mind.

My roommate is one lucky big sister of a sister named Kelly who has down syndrome. Kelly turned 18 today and though Kelly herself may not have a profile on the mass media site facebook her sister dedicated a wonderful status to her on her big day. I say wonderful because I read it and she made me want to cry I hardly know her sister and her's relationship but I was moved almost to tears. OK, I'll admit it my eyes did water a little which made it hard for me to hit like right away because it got me thinking. I did eventually hit the like button because it really was that good.

The real kicker is when you make a status about your sister on her birthday and then because she can't read you call and talk to her and read it to her over the phone. That's when a sister knows how important she really is because you took that extra time to show how much you care.

I have always looked up to my older sister and not just because I could watch her break our house rules and learn how to break them myself. I always thought she had the coolest friends. I thought she was so much smarter than I was that she, ruled the school, so to speak. When she left to go to college I remember thinking whose gonna be the cool one now I guess me. I didn't realize how big the shoes were I was trying to fill. Dare I mention you can put your size 6 into a size 9 but you may never overcome the challenge of being able to walk in them matter how hard you try. I thought she made it look easy and was almost mad when I couldn't do what she had. But I would come to realize that though I thought it was easy I was wrong. For her, I'm sure it was a lot of hard work but with her grace and poise, I could never tell.

Now back to Sarah's sister Kelly's birthday. During the conversation, it was discussed how Sarah wished she could be there and Kelly seem quite eager for Sarah to come home for Easter Weekend. Like a light bulb turning on in her head my friend then said: "Well just you wait. I have a surprise for you that you may see later," though I couldn't hear much I knew Kelly had to be getting excited. Sarah covered the phone looked at me and said: "Hey do you want to go to dinner and surprise my sister and family." I, of course, said yes always eager to do good for a friend and after what I heard I was to moved to say no. The plan was set and with some inside help from Sarah's younger brother we knew the time and the place and we were ready to go.

I have to say at this point that there are five kids in Sarah's family and she is the oldest. I thought it only natural that younger siblings looked up to there older ones, but little did I know what it is really like to do so until I met her sister Kelly. We rolled into town first to the restaurant got us a table for everyone her brother knew was coming. We sat down and waited till they came in the door that's when I saw Sarah about hit the floor because she was so excited about her surprise.

Her mom was surprised she had no idea, but the most excited was, of course, the birthday girl Kelly. She was asked if she was surprised and I think she was rather speechless. Just in her actions and facial expressions I could tell how important it was for Kelly to have her big sister there on her birthday

So back to my sister and her shoes. When we were growing up my sister and I were very involved in 4-H. I remember one year my sister got these new red lace-up cowgirl boots because she wanted to look good in the arena showing her sheep. I wanted boots too because I wanted to look good showing off my Charlie but apparently showing a guinea pig, clarification here I was a relatively small kid so I did small pets cuz handling the big guys didn't suit, well it didn't merit me getting boots too. I just remember how proud my sister was of her red boots, though why the red ones still not sure. Every time she laced up her boots it was like she was getting pumped for the show, secretly I'm sure she was laughing in the face of her competition: "Ha try and beat me now ya sorry shepherds! I got my Red Boots on!" I was jealous when she put them on I wanted to be her in those boots. The day she outgrew her boots was the best day because with some careful convincing mom let me have the red boots, I was in heaven. Finally, I had what made my sister's success, I couldn't wait to put them on! Only one problem; remember how I said a size 6 can't fill a size 9 shoe, well I tried my hardest to walk in her old red boots. To no avail, they were more like clown shoes for me. Apparently, her confidence poise and grace were not kept in her red boots. I put on the boots with pride but I did not fit the boots and they did not fit me. I guess in the end that was okay. When I look back now I can see how ridiculous I was in those red boots no wonder mom never let me out the house in them! I'm glad they didn't fit now because I think if they had I might have turned out like my sister and I love my sister, but the world does not need two of her. What the world needs is one of her and one of me. The world doesn't need our parents to go insane with a double of either one of us.When it comes down to it I'm sure I never got out the house in those red boots because I was not supposed to. Those boots were not who I was then or am supposed to be now!

When I think about it my friend Sarah being just as country, well more country than me, has her own boots. I don't know Sarah's family that well but I'm sure I can safely say her sisters can't wear her boots either. Her next youngest sister Lindsey may barrel race in rodeos like Sarah does, but if she, in a pinch picked up Sarah's boots to go out and run a race, would probably not ride right because the boots are not the right fit for her! That's because Lindsey has her own boots to wear in her life. Her family doesn't want her to be her sister Sarah. The same way I highly doubt anybody wants Kelly in Sarah's boots! According to what Sarah's status said she wouldn't have her sister any other way and I can safely say though I was only at that birthday dinner a short time and for that one time; I could tell the whole family was feeling the same way. Just as my family wouldn't have me any other way, or have me in my sister's boots. Though I can't speak for Kelly I will say this doesn't mean just for fun she and I can't parade around in our older sister's shoes no matter how big they are on our feet!

What I can say is I learned a lot in few hours with my friend Sarah. There is no textbook that can teach the stuff you come to know as a big sister or even a younger sister. I could sit in my college classes all day and never learn anything as valuable as what I learn outside the classroom among my friends and family.

School may help me learn more about my major, but listening louder in the world will help me learn so much more about life!