Abhi
Three days before my eighth birthday, I went to the hospital to visit my parents― and meet my new sister, who was born the day prior. I remember seeing a photo of her on the way there and thinking she looked like a boy with her hat off; she had a head full of slick rich black hair. When I arrived at the hospital, I don’t think it had fully hit me how big of an impact having a little sister was going to be for me― especially one eight years younger than me. She was so small and fragile in the hospital room, I could not even fathom what she would be like growing up. A few minutes after meeting her I had put her little baby hat back on her head. The adults thought I was being sweet, keeping her warm in the crisp October air. Truthfully, I just felt guilty thinking my newborn baby sister was ugly with her dark hair.
Ten years later, as fate would have it, my sister Abhi has grown into the most beautiful girl I could’ve possibly imagined her to be― though I may be a little biased. Even her then-black hair warmed down to an ashy, chocolate brown. I’ve learned a lot about not only what it means to take care for someone besides yourself, but also a lot about myself and how I look at the world. She is the sweetest and most positive person I know. Her optimism always reminds me that I should live life happily, instead of always looking at the downside of a situation. In short, we’re like yin and yang. She keeps my head in the clouds while I plant her feet on the ground.
Abhi has always been the more outgoing sister whereas I kept more to myself. She’s very compassionate and looks for the approval of others to, in a way, validate her own ideas. Being the baby of the family, it makes sense that she is sheltered more than the rest of us (as it is in most cases of brown households). However, I always try to expose her to small, harsh truths of the world so that she won’t be too naïve. In those cases, it usually ends with her having a face full of tears, but then she’ll toughen up and realize that the world is not always cupcakes
and rainbows… for a time being. Nevertheless, she doesn’t let the negativity in the world get to her, but rather avoids it whenever she can.This behavior of hers has taught me that you cannot always go about life thinking of only adversity, but should rather be positive to contradict whatever is negative and rise above it.
As the designated babysitter (and a free one at that), much of my social life is nonexistent due to the fact that I had to take care of Abhi. She was (and still is) my responsibility since our parents left for work early and came back home late (as they still do). This also meant that I am the one who talked to her teachers or her friends’ parents to organize playdates. I know all, if not most, of her friends, and because I’m not her mom, they think of me as a friend as well.
It has forced me to grow up faster than most, but I am thankful that it made me more mature. There were definitely times where I wished I didn’t have to be with her 24/7, but in reality, that has only made us grow closer. She asks me for things before she even goes to our parents, and relies on me for advice. Truthfully, Abhi helped shape me to be the way I am. As she gets older, I know that we will still be as close as we are now. Sure, we get into small fights here and there― mostly because I tease her and take it a little too far― but that’s how all siblings are. I honestly can’t imagine my life without her, and I barely can remember life before her.