Yes, She Drives Me Crazy, but Here's Why My Sister Is My Best Friend

By Amanda McCoy

Published on 7/22/2019 at 4:25 PM

Pexels | trinitykubassek
Pexels | trinitykubassek

The expression says blood is thicker than water, and truth be told, I can't think of many things in life more ironclad than the bond of sisterhood. I was four years old when my sister was born, and I was immediately obsessed with her. Almost too much — "Remember, she's a baby!" my mom would remind me when I got a little overzealous or rough. (I still like to think I was the reason she started crawling at an exceptionally young age, because I always placed her toys just out of reach.)

Over the course of the next 25 years, we would go through so many peaks and valleys together — new homes and schools, accomplishments and heartbreaks, loss of pets and loss of jobs, our parents' divorce, the birth of her children, and figuring out what it takes to be sufficient, happy adults. The ride wasn't always easy, and there are countless fights behind (and I'm sure ahead!) of us, but there's no relationship in my life like the one I have with my sister. For all the sisters out there, here are 15 very real reasons why they make life's greatest friends!

  1. We tell each other like it is.
    I can always count on my sis to give me an honest spoonful of reality, even when I think I don't need it (although she knows I do). And I'm never shy about telling her exactly how it is, either.
  2. She won't let anyone else pick on me (only she can do that).
    Yes, she can poke how I cry at the drop of a hat, but the moment someone else does, she jumps to my defense! A sister has the right to make fun of your idiosyncrasies. Everyone else has to earn it.
  3. She knows all the crazy family drama.
    Every family comes with its own set of drama, and no one understands it quite like a sister. I don't have to explain anything to her — she lived it, too. There's no better person to vent to or offer perspective when dealing with family matters.
  4. She can read my facial expressions.
    I might think I'm effectively hiding my irritation, disappointment, shock, or fear from the world, but my sister can read it all over my face — and knows exactly what to say.
  5. She gives the best gifts.
    A nostalgic throwback to our favorite TV show from our adolescence, an answer to the source of my daily stresses, that thing that I didn't even know I've always wanted — no one can totally nail it at gift-giving quite like she can.
  6. She knows how to motivate me.
    Sometimes I need a kind word, and other times I need a good kick in the behind, and she knows exactly when and how to provide both.
  7. Our inside jokes go back 10, 15, 20+ years.
    Out of nowhere, my sister and I will find ourselves doubled over in the throws of a belly laugh, cracking up about something that happened when were still in pigtails. Inside jokes are like a fine wine, they get better (funnier, even) with age.
  8. We fight, but I know we'll always get over it.
    People tend to fight with the people they are closest to, so the occasional argument will inevitably creep up. No matter how mad or frustrated my sister and I get, it's nearly impossible to stay angry with each other. I'll try, but then something funny will happen, so clearly I have to call and tell her about it.
  9. I can vent without judgment.
    Because we know each other inside and out, I know that I can vent and open up about anything without worrying she'll think I'm a spoiled or terrible person. Besides, if I am being melodramatic, she's the first person to call me on it.
  10. She knows all my buttons (and how to push them)!
    She's had years of practice finding all the little ways to set me off (if she wanted to, she could send me from zero to 60 faster than a Lamborghini), so if I'm upset and need an open ear, she gets it without explanation.
  11. She also knows my strengths.
    Sure, she might knows my triggers, but she also knows what makes me strong and will remind me of it during the moments I need it most.
  12. She'll ride the nostalgia train with me all day long.
    I might not want to remember when I went through a heavy metal stage or the year I ate Taco Bell for lunch every single day . . . but she does. And we'll always get a good laugh out of it. Plus, who better to recite quotes with from our favorite childhood movies for hours on end?
  13. I know I have a built-in cheerleader.
    She's seen every up and down, which makes her that much more proud when I face a fear or accomplish something incredible. Her support means the world to me.
  14. Being an aunt is the greatest thing ever.
    Getting to be an aunt to my sister's little mini-me's is one of the greatest joys on the planet. It's basically getting a piece of my sister when she was a child again.
  15. No matter what happens in life, she will always have my back.
    It's a comforting feeling to know that no matter what life hands you, through hard times and good, there's someone who will have your back through it all. My sister and I have our own (very) busy lives, but if I called her at 3 a.m. and said I needed her, I know she'd be there in a heartbeat.