My Sister

By Patty Paddock

I always wanted a sister. But all my mom and dad gave me was an older brother!

Don't get me wrong, I love my big brother. And having a brother can be fun, but let's face it—it's just not the same as having a sister!

I think that a sister is kind of like a built-in friend—she's someone you can do things with, talk to about your struggles with other friends, try out different "looks" with—whether they're hairstyles or new mixes of tops, pants, and skirts.

And, unlike your other friends, no matter how mad you'd get at her (or she'd get at you), you'd HAVE to get along in the end because…well, because you're family.

For a while, I was even a little jealous of my friends who had sisters. I could just see them getting closer and closer by doing things together:

• Washing and drying the dishes while they talked about things
• Asking each other's opinions about outfits while putting away their laundry
• Taking a break from raking the leaves to coach each other in their gymnastics routines

I mean, even chores could be almost fun—if you had someone to share them with.

The other day I complained to my mom that it was her fault I didn't have a sister. "What about Susan?" my mom said. "You're over at each other's houses 3-4 days a week. You plan each other's birthday parties. You guys are practically sisters—the two families even celebrate the holidays together!"

Wow. She was right. I never thought of that before—a sister doesn't have to be someone in your immediate family. She could be someone you choose as a sister—someone you feel very close to. And how cool if your family is very close to her family—then she really IS just like a sister!

And like me, Susan only has an older brother—there's no other "sister" in her family either. Maybe she'll be as excited as I am to have a "sister". I can't wait until she comes over tomorrow!