BFF

It's a little known fact outside of my small personal circle that one of my best friends is my little sister. It sounds a little corny, but it's true.

And because I've always had a good older sister I always hated, growing up, seeing my friends be bad older sisters to their younger sisters.

I admit that Em and I went through a period of not being very close, but I blame it on my selfish, semi-rebellious, and self-absorbed teen years and her inaccessibility given that she was a baby and hadn't yet mastered the English language.

But once we snapped out of that, we've done everything from museum/zoo trips, to pen pals when I lived away from home, MISadventures, and you're general hanging out.

I'm not very good with kids and I don't think I ever will be. And I don't think we click the same way she can click with other semi-adults. Like my cousin who loves kids and kids love her. But we both try, and I think that's the most important part.

As an older sister, I feel like it's my responsibility to show her how to be responsible and to make the right decisions all while making sure she doesn't feel lonely, or too much like a kid, or put down on.

I keep a running list of things I should slip into conversation with.

Actually written down on a post-it as of a couple days ago and staring at me in the face currently:

• Independent Thinking
• Personal Development
• And, a Woman's position as an independent.

 When's the last time you were challenged to actually think about these things and iterate relatively complete and coherent thoughts on it? It's harder said than done and much harding to casually slip into conversations without sounding too preachy.

But it's important.