May 19 1966.The day my little sister was born. I can't imagine how awful my childhood would have been without her, though I'm sure a lot of her memories are of me torturing her and generally causing her grief. Even though I know we didn't have a great relationship until I was 18 or so, there are very few happy memories I have of my childhood that don't include her.
There are many unhappy memories that revolve around her, but in most of those I am the bad guy. I always felt as if I failed her as a big brother because I didn't or couldn't protect her. As it turns out, she has never needed my protection and is now one of the strongest and strongest-willed people that I know.
I remember one day in primary school, walking home with friends teasing her all the way home. I could tell something was wrong, just from her reaction, but instead of coming to her defense I ran with the sheep and kept it up. It wasn't until I got home that she told me he best friend (Wendy I think) had been killed in a car accident that weekend. I'm not sure if she even remembers the incident but it had a defining effect on my life. It was the beginning of my realisation that, regardless of what others think or say, my moral compass is inside myself. I often worry that my two boys will one day have similar regrets about the way they treat each other, and I tell them that no-one in this world is as much like them as a sibling.
Not only is a sibling the closest genetic match, but they share an upbringing and a lifestyle. Either way, Nature or Nurture, they share a great deal of what defines you.
Thanks sis, for making the last 40 years so interesting. I love you.
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