Day 4 — Your sibling (or closest relative)

Dear Stone,

It is similarly not easy being my little brother. You had to kind of live in my shadow for a while, and I know that. Although I give you grief about doing soccer when I was the person who asked to do it, I’m glad you have soccer. It was the first thing that was all yours where not only were you no longer “Starr’s brother”, but I became “Stone’s sister”. I remember seeing you relish the first time someone called me that.

I’m glad you’re so popular at school. You deserve that. I tried to force nerd-dom onto you, but you deserve friends and popularity. I just hope you continue to make good choices. I can’t tell you how proud I was when you told me (after I pestered you about it for weeks) that you didn’t attend prom your junior year because you didn’t want to drink but you knew that your friends who had invited you to prom would be drinking. (I hope there was no drinking at prom this year.) (Also, no drinking while you’re at Senior Week, k?)

I hope that you push yourself to be the best possible version of yourself. That’s why I pushed you into nerd-dom. It’s hard to jump higher when the bar isn’t constantly being set higher, and I know that you’re sometimes very influenced by your peers. I wanted you to value people who value their educations.

I am so proud of you and I know you’ll keep making me proud. I’ll try really hard not to be doing embarrassing around your friends but sometimes I just can’t help it, you know? 😛

Love,
姐姐, which I haven’t heard you call me in years

Stone and I on graduation day
Stone and I on graduation day

P.S. Maybe think about changing your Twitter handle. It’s embarrassing for me, I don’t understand how it’s not similarly or more embarrassing for you.

Day 3 – Your Parents

Dear Mom and Dad,

I know being my parents hasn’t been easy since I hit my pre-teen days and kind of never looked back. It’s been strange accepting that, not only was I imperfect contrary to what you had told me, but you were imperfect, too.

Coming to terms with your flaws has been maybe more difficult than coming to terms with my own. Because I can always try to change mine, but I can’t change you.

I love you both. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, at the very least the intention behind it.

I don’t know why I get so angry when we have our “discussions”. Maybe it’s because I put these expectations on you to say what I wanted to hear or to understand me.

I am really sorry that we aren’t closer. Our relationship isn’t ideal but I’m happy to have you both as my parents, and I look forward to repairing what I’ve broken.

Love,
Your daughter, 思思

Mom and I on graduation day
Mom and I on graduation day
Dad and I on graduation day
Dad and I on graduation day