May You Love Each Other Like This Forever

This morning something happened that felt so important I wanted to share it with you.

Being that you are so young, it most likely will not be a memory you will be able to recall on your own. Yet, I feel the weight of this moment is something you should find a way to carry with you forever.

Like most mornings, one of you woke up first and meandered into our room groggy and half asleep. After a few minutes, the second one appeared in the doorway unsteady on their feet with eyes barely open.

Then the magic happened.

Your eyes met and instantly you were both sent into an abrupt state of alertness. You ran rhythmically into an embrace that made it appear as though you had not seen each other for 10 years rather than only 10 hours. You jumped up and down in a circle and screamed each other’s names.

The chatter began immediately on what you wanted to do. You negotiated (and sometimes argued, but ultimately walked down the stairs hand-in-hand, ready to take on the day.

And today in this amazing moment, I made a wish.

I wished that you would love each other like this forever.

You don’t know this yet, but sibling relationships can be very hard. They can test your will and loyalty and push your patience to the edge. Siblings can be your biggest critic and the person you wish to be the farthest away from, and yet somehow, they will always seem to be around.

They can be your opposites in every way, from friends to clothes to school. Jealousy can run rampant and plague your days. They might ignore you or try to control you or do both in an extremely passive-aggressive way.

There will be times you feel like there is no one on this planet you despise more than your siblings.

But they are also your first friends and sometimes your only companions. They will make you laugh so hard you cry and give you your fondest memories. They will teach you so many things, from braiding hair to playing basketball and will give your world so much perspective in the process.

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You will see each other in every moment of life, and they will be your biggest supporters. They will never let another person badmouth you, and they may even throw punches in your honor. If you make bad life choices, they will still love you. Mistakes are meant to be forgiven when you are family.

There will be times when you even feel like there is no one on this planet you love more than them.

At this age, that love comes easily. You count on each other every day, knowing when you wake up, the other will be there. Things are simple, and your love is pure.

However, your relationship will eventually shift. One of you could like computers while the other likes sports. One of you may always want to stay home while the other loves being outside. Or the change could be as simple as one of you moving on to middle school while the other is left back in elementary.

These changes could cause you to fight, and in the process, you may even hurt each other. It is inevitable. Yet that is the most beautiful part of being siblings. You have a bond like no other in the world.

No one will be connected to you the way you are connected to each other.

Forgiveness is a part of the game. Even in some of the hardest scenarios, you will find a way to forgive each other. It is simply what siblings do.

I tell you all of this with a lot of firsthand experience. The aunts and uncles you love so dearly are my siblings. They have been in my life through devastating heartache and in moments of absolute joy.

They are a huge part of my world, and without them, so little about me makes sense. We share blood, parents, and most importantly, our childhood. Our most formative years were together, and there is little in life to compare that to.

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We may all be very different now and still fight today, but our love and commitment to each other go far beyond any simple explanation.

So now that I am on the other side watching my beautiful children grow together, I ask that you both always remember this:

Your siblings are your first love, your first friends, and your first enemies. They are everything in one complete package. Love them, trust them, and honor them for all your life . . . and I promise you will be a better person for it.