People Let Me Tell Ya ‘Bout My Best Friend

I spent the first four and a half years of my life as an only child. Many times I’ve joked that those were the happiest years of my life. I mean, let’s face it, the world revolved around me! I had the undivided attention of my parents and grandparents, who spoiled me accordingly. Thank God my parents had the wherewithal to know I needed a sibling. I needed a best friend for life.

My baby sister graced the world with her presence in October, and life changed forever. Oh, she was adorable right from the start. I loved being a little momma and helping take care of her. Remember I said my parents and grandparents spoiled me? The truth is I spoiled them. I was an angel of a child. Go ahead, ask my mom. She’ll tell you that I really was a good kid. Well, at least until I turned 18. My darling sister, however, she was a handful! Everything I say is out of love. Don’t worry. It’s all things I’ve said to her face.

I don’t even think my sister was a year old when she started tormenting me. It started when she decided to throw her bottle at me. I was sitting across from her at the table in our playroom, minding my own business, and WHAM! When she was a little older, she took to throwing a yellow plastic Fisher-Price drumstick at my bedroom door when I closed it to keep her out. I’m not making this up. The evidence is there in the door full of notches still hanging on my childhood bedroom. She wasn’t bad, just ornery. She’d ask if she could do something, be told no, and then go do it anyway. She had a habit of then telling on herself and even telling mom what her punishment was going to be. Our childhood was littered with more fights than either of us would like to admit. The worst of which resulted in us sitting on chairs facing each other, knees touching, until we learned to get along. She wasn’t always at fault. I’ve always been bossy and stubborn. I’m sure I was no picnic to live with either.

There were some awkward years as we grew up where our age difference really played a factor in our relationship. I took great pleasure in hanging that stupid purple dinosaur with a noose around his neck from the top of the stairs. She wasn’t amused. Then there were the times her friends would come over to play and want to hang out with me instead. Hey, I can’t help it that I’m so fabulous!

Our mom spent a lot of years worried that we’d never get along. Our Mummum believed we would be best friends. Never doubt Mummum. Once we were both out of high school and the age difference didn’t seem as significant, our relationship began to develop into something so incredible that it can’t truly be put into words. My sister is my best friend.

When we go out together, people often ask if we’re twins. Sometimes we say “no, just sisters,” and other times we reply that we are indeed twins and our mom had a terribly rough five year pregnancy and delivery. Facebook can’t tell us apart either. More often than not, when I post selfies it asks if I’d like to tag her. It’s especially disturbing when posting a picture of the two of us, which we call usies, and it still tries to tag me as her. Personally, while it’s blatantly obvious that we’re sisters, I don’t think we look like twins. To be fair though, we do tend to unintentionally dress alike. I blame mom. We have both inherited her tendency to dress in black or black’s slightly lighter cousin, gray. Our shared love for Shinedown has also led to us owning matching hoodies. Then there’s the fact that we tend to ask “jean or leggings” every time we plan to go anywhere. Maybe we are twins!

My sister and I have had so many adventures over the years. Undoubtedly some have turned out better than others. A mostly disappointing trip to Michigan was saved by our happenstance discovery of Frankenmuth and Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland. Last March, we took our first Shinedown-inspired road trip when we went to Hershey for their concert. We even headed over to Lancaster for a train ride before rushing home to beat the blizzard. Then there was a day trip to Pymatuning where we discover the Pymatuning Deer Park and enjoyed some Covered Bridge pizza. Of course there were several concerts at StarLake (call it whatever you want, it’ll always be StarLake). The second weekend is July is our most favorite event, the Whiskey Rebellion Festival. You can always find us on Main Street soaking up the historic fun. I’d need another whole post to list all the festivals, fairs, and events we share together.

Not everything is sunshine and roses. You gotta live through the rain to see the rainbow. Good or bad, she is there for me. No questions asked, no matter the time of day, this amazing woman will drop everything if I need her. She has been absolutely invaluable in helping me raise her niece and nephew. I could never repay her for everything she has done for us over the years and continues to do every single day. It’s no exaggeration when I say she’s my guardian angel that’s saved my life on more than one occasion. She is hands down, without a doubt, absolutely the world’s bestest greatest sister. I am beyond blessed to call her mine 🖤💛

If you are lucky enough to know this amazing woman, please take a minute to reach out to her and shower her with love. No one is more deserving.

🖤💛I love you, Lo.🖤💛