My parents have given me more than I could have ever asked for in life.
The best thing my parents gave me, however, wasn't some kind of gift. It was my sister.
Even though I sometimes wished I had been an only child growing up, I always knew my sister was, and will always be, my best friend.
There's something different about the bond we form with our sisters, especially when we're close in age.
I’ll always be grateful I was given a best friend before I could really understand what a best friend even meant.
Here are all the ways you know your sisters will always understand you better than your friends ever could:
1. They have been there from the start.
We can't remember much from the first few years of our lives, but the earliest memories we do have are with our sisters.
You don’t have to go back and explain your whole life story to them because they've lived it with you.
They remember your bad acne, your high school crush and every other little detail no one else would understand.
Your sisters understand the things that made you who you are.
They watched you change from an awkward middle schooler to the too-cool-for-school teenager, and then to the beautiful person you ended up becoming.
Besides your parents, there probably isn't anyone else who has been by your side through every phase of your life like your sister has.
2. They understand your relationship with your parents.
Most of the time, friends don’t really want to hear about some little comment your dad about your outfit or how your mom keeps bugging you about your plans for after college.
Your sister is the only other person who knows your parents like you do, and it’s important to have someone else out there to vent to when they make you mad.
Just as importantly, your sister is also the only one who will understand the love you have for them.
You can go from being so annoyed with every little thing to laughing historically within minutes.
3. Sharing is caring.
Whether you grew up sharing Legos or Barbie dolls, having another person in the house meant double the toys.
What your sister got for Christmas was just as exciting as what you got because you knew you guys were going to share.
As you get older, the sharing doesn't stop.
Sharing dress-up clothes turns into sharing real clothes, and there is almost never a reason to not have something to wear.
4. Brutal honestly is a good thing.
The majority of the time, your friends don't want to hurt your feelings.
They are probably afraid of saying something that might come off as rude.
Sisters are totally different.
Chances are good they’ve said a million things over the span of your life that upset you, so they really aren't afraid of adding one more comment to that tally.
They will tell you when you’re too drunk.
They will tell you when your pants look too tight or when your put on too much eyeliner.
These things might come off as hurtful, but deep down, you know you would rather know than not.
They care about you and your reputation, so when it comes down to it, they would rather tell you now than have you oblivious to the fact your outfit makes you look fat.
5. They have your back.
You can always count on your sister to back you up no matter what.
Whether you're trying to convince your parents you're responsible enough to be left home alone in middle school, or you're in a fight with your friends from school, your sister is going to take your side.
Whether you break up with your significant other for absolutely no reason other than because you wanted to, or because he cheated on you, your sister is going to be there, telling you it’s the right choice and helping you along the way.
6.They remind you of the true meaning of friendship.
Throughout your life, there is no doubt you’ll have several friends.
You'll even have ones who you consider to be your best friends.
But throughout life, friends come and go.
Sisters are different.
They’ve already been in your life longer than any other friend has.
No matter how many fights you get into, it has never stopped your friendship, and it never will.
Being close with your sister reminds you friendship isn't about taking countless Instagram pictures together, going out to the bar or referring to one another as “best friends.”
Friendship is about having someone who's been there for you since the day you both came into each other’s lives.
Being lucky enough to have sisters you are close with makes you look at friendship in a whole different light.
