15 Reasons To Thank Your Big Sister Today

Sisters are in a best friend league all their own. Sure, you have the friends you've known since elementary school, the people who feel like siblings...but there's some extra special magic sparkle heart glue that happens between you and your sister(s), and we're here to talk about all the things you may have missed about it.

Your sister is part of you. You're made of the same stuff, literally. You were raised the same way and conditioned the same way and know the most intimate, difficult details of each other's lives. There was no hiding anything, and if you're lucky, you grew up to remain that close. But there is something special about having an older sister that, in the whole business of growing up, we might take for granted. Here are all the things you may have forgotten to thank the older ones for (because they totally deserve recognition):

For Being The Guinea Pig

Your older sister paved the way. It was her precious little life that turned into your parents' "human raising" experiment. She got the brunt of it, and softened 'em up by the time they got to you. You're damn welcome.

For Letting you Hang Out With Her Older, Cooler, Wiser, Funnier Friends

For as old and cool and wise and funny as pre-teens could be, it was highly uncool to have a little clingy sister tagging along everywhere. If you have a younger sibling now, you probably get it. Say thank you for the slivers of time you were allowed in her room. It means more than you realized.

For Not Actually Selling You On The Porch Step By Now

Little sisters are notoriously irritating attention-sucking obsession-of-your-parents-life. It's a wonder and blessing you lived this long to tell the tale.

For All The Clothes You Stole And She Let Slide

Like, she knows. She knew. She sees her shirt in your closet. She knew about that Backstreet Boys CD and glitter gel from some mysteriously nameless kids' beauty products manufacturer. You didn't get away with anything, it was just an expression of grace and kindness.

For Intercepting Whenever Mom Said, "Is She OK? Talk To Her, Find Out What's Wrong."

She probably didn't come bother you, or if she did, she was profoundly chill about it. It saved you your mom observing you like you're in a fish bowl and asking 20 questions every time you step into the kitchen and all of those "You know honey, it's OK if you feel this way..." talks.

For Being There To Guide You Through All The Most Embarrassing Parts Of Puberty

Parents can't tell you about masturbating, or actual things that happen during real sex, or any of that sh*t. Like, it's sometimes a little awkward and nerve-wracking to have your older sister school you on it, but nothing compared to your mom's "abstinence only" theories.

For Telling Your And Teaching You How Life (And Drinking, And Dating, And Love) Actually Is

Parents tell you not to drink, sisters tell you what shots to take before you'll be too drunk to pass off ever having not gone out. I think we've said all that needs to be said here.

For Fighting Off Mom's Prying When She Did Actually Talk To You About What Was Going On

This is a thing that happens to older sisters and I'm almost certain younger sisters never have any idea: when they talk to their younger siblings about essentially the gossip in their lives, moms have this desperate, manipulative, all but threatening way of trying to get you to spill every single detail. And that is a force to be reckoned with.

For Still Being Your Friend Even After Seeing What A Weird Kid You Were

She knows what you did. She saw you. She sees you. She forgives you for your weird little shortcomings, but never is your cat-whisker-clipping episode not embedded in her memory.

For Still Being Your Friend Even After Seeing What An Annoying Kid You Were

The sheer miracle here is that someone who once annoyed a person so much could now be their friend. #Healing #Goals #Truth.

For Always Being A Phone Call Away

On the serious side: for whatever happens, good or bad, you always have someone to reach. On the more real side: you also always have someone to Snapchat drunk. Amen.

For Becoming Your Best Friend And Confidant

Family is a choice. Not everybody chooses their family for the right reasons (sometimes people confuse what they're born to for what they're bound to). The sisters you're both born to and then choose, year after year, day after day, are the people you really love.

For The Sheer Fact That You Know Someone Always Has Your Back

It's like, a biological fact. Your older sister will protect you until you die.

For Not Holding Against You All The Secrets You Said You'd Keep From Your Parents, But Didn't

Like, she said not to say anything and your little brat ass turned around and said "MOM GUESS WHAT." You were PROFOUNDLY un-chill and yet if she somehow got over it and tolerates you now.

For The Millions Of Things You'll Forget To Thank Her For In The Future

For all the parties and stupid texts and snuggling watching movies at your parents house, for planning weddings and babysitting and getting each other perfect things on the holidays. For all the gossiping about your extended family and all the broken hearts they'll see you through and all the advice and all the love. There are a million little things you'll forget to say thank you for. Remind her that it doesn't mean you don't appreciate them.

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