1. They see you the most besides with your parents during your growing years. An older sibling probably even helped raise you. And because you spent so much time together as children, you developed a one-of-a-kind bond, a bond that does not exist in any other relationship. A friend of mine has an older sister, who practically raised her - her sister did everything for her, starting from feeding her, changing her diaper to rocking her to sleep when she was a baby.
2. They help you create many of your life's best memories. In those growing years when you played together and boldly embarked on mischievous projects, your siblings were both your playmates and accomplices. You share childhood and teenage secrets and you still laugh over them when you are together. Your siblings were there with you on your first out-of-state family vacation, camping, swimming lesson and professional baseball game.
3. They help you brave life's many a storm, be it your parents' divorce, a parent, grandparent, another sibling or pet's death. You lend each other shoulder during difficult times. Emotionally struggling times bring people closer. Unlike joy, pain can only be shared with people who are close to our heart. Our siblings are always close to our heart despite any ideological differences that may exist among us.
4. They genuinely love you for who you are. They can look past your mistakes unlike your school and college friends, colleagues and other relatives. You are connected by blood and this very special connection helps them understand you and accept you the way you are. If not siblings, who else can be our best friends in this judgmental world?
5. They become your even closer friends during the later years of your life. My mom has 5 sisters, all of whom are somewhere in their 50s and early 60s. I see how close they are to each other. They do everything together when they live in the same city - they eat out, shop and visit friends and relatives together. When they live in separate cities, my aunts and uncles talk with each other on the phone a few times a week. In later years of our lives, our siblings provide us with the greatest support. They rush to us when we are ill, sad and lonely and when our husband and children are not around. Siblings can cross great distances to be with other siblings.
Comments