Dear Shannon and Gabby,

One thing I have never been able to imagine is a world all alone, without my sisters. You both help to make me who I am today. You are my best friends, and my role models in everything I do. I used to hide from affection; I was too stubborn to admit that I loved you guys. For instance, there were times I would run away or hit you when you simply tried to hug me. I remember barely being able to stand next to you for family photos. It was never that you were mean to me, but I simply had my own way of showing my affection. Occasionally, I would try my best to express my feelings by asking if you wanted to play or watch a movie. However, there were moments when I acted very selfish towards you. I remember when I was eight years old and we were all playing truth or dare with friends and family on vacation. I was dared to hug both of my sisters. Rather than complete the dare, I went to my room and cried. I can’t believe something that little could make me be so selfish. Nonetheless, maturing and growing up has allowed me to come of age and realize how much you both mean to me. There was a time when I would not hangout with you, but now, I choose to spend time with you any day over any friend. I sincerely apologize for my lack of compassion and my maudlin personality; I never realized how important you both are to me until my real life perspectives broadened. My lack of attempt to express my love is not what both of you deserved, which is why I must now show the gratitude I have.

To be more specific, I am speaking of the time when I thought I had nobody. My friends had left me, but you were there right by my side. You taught me the meaning of being a true friend. When I am sad or feeling lonely, you pick my spirits back up through your sanguine attitudes. Whether it is accomplished by taking me out to eat, shopping, watching a movie with me, keeping my secrets, or listening to me vent my emotions. I wouldn’t trade our bond for anything else in the world. You both share similar struggles and give advice in times of need allowing our relationship to grow even stronger. Growing up and having to experience the inevitable events of coming of age has made me want to be more and more like you, my sisters. All of my life, although I never admitted to myself or others, I have and will always look up to you. I treasure the relationship all of us have together and the individual relationships I have with each of you, Gabby, and Shannon.

I applaud you Gabby, not only for your generous personality, but your work ethic and success. I watched as you worked through high school excelling in athletics and academics. I moved you into your college dorm being ignorant to the fact that you would no longer be in my life everyday for the four following years. I still could not admit my affection at that point, but I knew you understood my love for you. Although I was not affectionate at first, as I was forced to spend more time apart from you, the more I realized how much I needed you. I didn’t think my life would be that different, but really, everything changed when we were separated. During the times I struggled with friends or school, you would always answer my calls and talk to me for hours despite your tightly packed schedule. Finally, watching you walk across the stage and receive your college diploma was the day I realized how much I looked up to you. From that day on, although you may have finished all of your schooling, you did not lose motivation going into the real world. Nailing interview after interview, you received a job first year out of college. I admire your passion for teaching special education with a love for teaching and helping those who need it, which many teachers do not have the patience for. You have always helped me, and now you are using these skills in life. I marvel at your work ethic that allows you to teach all day long and come home to do even more work. Your determination is what makes me, and I am sure all of your students, look up to you. Overall, watching you, Gabby, reach the highest extent of success and being a genuinely exceptional human being is why you are my idol.

Not only do I have Gabby to look up to, but I have my other sister Shannon. Shannon, although we did and still do fight a lot, most of our fights are meaningless and end with us laughing. We could be fighting one minute and then the next getting in the car to get ice cream. We spend a lot of time together and have bonded while getting dinner together, going shopping, texting during school and giving advice to each other. What haven’t we bonded over? After watching you grow up by my side, you will shortly be graduating high school with determination to succeed. You have faced so many obstacles socially, which allows you to now give me advice with friends. Additionally, you prosper in your own persistence in academics. I learned from you that anything is possible if you really work for it. You went from having aids in classrooms and being in resource rooms due to your learning disability to acing honor classes in high school. It is amazing to see your growth and how far you have come. No one who started with you in that journey could have predicted what you managed to accomplish. Some may have doubted you, but I never did. Your successes are truly laudable; next year you’re attending James Madison University and will keep amazing me and everyone around you everyday. Nonetheless, I cannot imagine not having you in the room next door from me every night. Despite the fact that in elementary and middle school I would ignore you in the halls when you greeted me, I would do anything to go back and wave to every smile I received from you. Although I know it will be difficult to be a five hour car ride away from you, I know there will be countless of calls, facetimes and visits to come.

Without a doubt, both of you will keep inspiring me each and every day. Forgive me for my past stubborn behavior, I truly do care for both of you and I am sorry I was too ignorant to emphasize it before. You both have shaped me to be who I am and I will strive every day to be more and more like you. I can vision us when we are older, meeting up at each other’s houses and talking for hours while our children grow up to be the same kind of bestfriends we are. I hope we will always keep repeating the traditions we have started and that we establish new ones in the future. One of my favorite traditions is going to brunch every Sunday morning, whether it is at Playa Bowls or my personal favorite, Matthews Diner. There is no one I can trust or look up to more than you two. Although a relationship between sisters are not chosen for us, it is the most cherished relationship one could possess.

With love and apologies, your sister,

Allie