Happy B-Day Sis.

The girl wearing the red coat is my sister.
Yesterday she celebrated her birthday.
She is the most beautiful girl I know.
She is kind, funny, smart and spontaneous.
It is strange the way in which the blood connection works.
We could not be more different from each other in character, yet I only need one look into her eyes to know that she is in trouble, to know that she is worried, or anything else that she might be thinking/feeling.
She is more like mom, I am more like dad.
I don’t think we look alike at all, which is what most people say, but once in a while we find someone who says that we look so much alike, and then we look at each other trying to find the similarities.

When we were little we argued and fought each other so intensely that I still bear scratch marks in my hands and arms from her vicious nails. She would hurt me so badly that I would scream, cry and pull her hair all at the same time, until our parents came to the rescue. I am sure I hurt her too, but she never once cried during any of our childhood fights. She was and still remains a strong character, who doesn’t know the meaning of the word: fear.

When we were little, my dad would take me on road trips around the country as he went about his work. You see I was the oldest one. Naturally she looked up to me, sometimes even with jealousy. What she probably doesn’t know is that I needed her too, and that I envied her too, especially during sleepless nights. Often during the winter, I had trouble falling asleep. I didn't fear monsters, demons, ghosts or any other common fears that kids have. I was scared of being alone, of knowing that the whole town was sleeping and that I would be having a restless night, staring at my wall, chasing around sleep. During such nights I would descend on the lower level of our bunk bed, and fall asleep right next to her. My only remedy for sleep was that feeling of being two which I experienced as a tried to synchronize by heart beat to hers.

Today I cherish our moments together as sisters.
I love how we go our separate ways in a store, only to return to the check-out register with the same selections.
I love how we meet up at some place wearing the same clothes.
I love how she sometimes calls me precisely when I am searching my phone for her number.
I love our shared common interest: photography.
I love how we both can dance and sing the night away listen to the Beatles.
I love all the many ways in which we differ from each other.
I am sure she looks up to me for many things, but I know that I look up to her as well to find courage, strength, and that charisma that she is blessed with.

Happy birthday sis. May your heart beat strongly for many, many years to come.