My Sisters

It took me 23 years to realize that my sisters are more than just people who grew up with me. Perhaps it is always better late than never to affirm the corny cliche of sisters being best friends. Because they know me like no one else can, accept me unconditionally despite my quirks, and will always be there for me until I'm shriveled and senile, I can say with certainty that they are my best friends...whether or not they feel that way.

My older sister is 1 1/2 years older than me and my younger one is 4 years younger than me. You would think that with the closeness in age with my Chi (Vietnamese for older female), we would hang out together and enjoy doing the same things, but we are as different as peanut butter and jelly. I remember getting in fights with her during our single digit years when my mom left us home alone. She would jump on top of me and scratch my nose and yank my hair, and I would get a belt and swing it at her, accidentally shattering the light bulb of her lamp. While I hung out with the few friends in my grade, she was the social butterfly, cavorting with older guys and staying out waaay past her curfew. We weren't like DJ and Stephanie Tanner in Full House (that was the cool show to watch!) where we could confide in each other and express our remorse and emotions after we threw down. No, we were more of the I-hate-you-one-second-then-everything's-okay-the-next-second sisters.

Then there's my little sis, my Em (Vietnamese for younger person). I never had any problems with her except during those pre-teen years where we shared the baby-wallpapered room, where I would draw an imaginary line to separate our living spaces. I have always viewed her as the innocent, little girl who couldn't do wrong. Even until today, while she's entering her third year of college, drinking more than my older sister and I combined, she remains my little sis.

When my parents moved to BFE a couple years ago, I moved in with Chi, and Em would come every week to hang out. We've definitely grown closer and I've gained a better understanding of who Chi is and become more sensitive to her feelings, however bipolar they may seem. I try to hang out with Em when she has time in between her hectic school, work and internship schedule. I've watched her grow from a flat-chested, short-haired NJB basketball player to a very full-chested, beautiful young adult. And now that I'm leaving soon, I will surely miss those times when we lounged around on the couch, eating chips, watching our favorite tv shows (Grey's!), talking about our day. What I will miss most is knowing that I can call them up to find out the next time I'll see them.

Because I know that I am going to be without them in NY, I have become more aware of our precious relationship. I am truly grateful to have two sisters who I know will be there for me, never let me down, listen to my senseless rantings, and shut me up and tell me like it is. Every week I witness the close bond that my dad and his siblings have with each other and that is definitely something that I look forward to when I get older.