I recently spent a whole day with my first little sister. She is my little sister, but she is much taller than me. Jessica has such a big heart and she is so kind. She is always putting other’s needs before her own. She listens, gives great advice, and is one of the most loving human beings I have ever met. She had a big hand in bringing me back to reality during the months I spent jumping from one hospital to another. Every time she visited me was like Christmas, and the days blurred together, so one minute she was there and no time passed before she came again. Jessica is magic. She is easy to be with and a lot of fun! She exudes wisdom. She is destined for great things! Recently, Jessica graduated with her Master’s degree and plans to be a therapist. I am so proud of her.
Jessica has always been supportive not only of my dreams, but in my life. She is creating positive change wherever she goes and has touched many lives. She will touch many more in her career and in her relationships with those around her. I am grateful for all of the ways she has changed my life, and I am honored to know her.
When we were younger, Jessica played an important role in my life. I am her big sister, but in many ways she was mine. I was a fragile kid dealing with some serious issues that became more complicated as we got older. She was right outside my door every night, asking if she could help, listening to tears I couldn’t suppress. I shut everyone out of my head. She was persistent enough to crack it.
I have three sisters, very different, but very much the same in several ways. The positive traits found in Jessica can be found in Kimberly and Amy. My sisters are my shield, protecting me on all sides. I would not be here today without them. All of them.
Kimberly and I used to write and illustrate children’s books together. Writing and sketching have always been coping mechanisms for me, and practicing with Kimberly fed my desire to become an author and illustrator when I grew up. We would spend hours coming up with adventure scenes. She would recommend illustrations and watch them appear on the page. The time we spent together like that was so precious. Kimberly is now a high school teacher. When she was in college, she asked me to be a guest speaker in one of her class presentations. I was honored. She asked me to share my experience concerning mental illness with her classmates in order to better educate the teachers of tomorrow. She inspired me to take the next steps toward change. Kimberly shared and supported my dreams. I may not have achieved my childhood goals without her. She aids in my work to make my voice heard. I am eternally grateful for her help, and her continued support in my life.
Amy is a hard worker. She is traveling the path of justice. Amy graduated with a law degree and has been saving the world in many ways. In several ways, she has saved mine. She is a rock, and she helped me out of the deepest cavern of darkness I have experienced. She is so special to me. I am so proud of her and thankful for her presence in my life. She gets things done and doesn’t take “no” for an answer. She is fun and mischievous, funny and captivating. She is the life of the party. Amy is so strong. She never gave up on me. She visited me often in the hospitals I frequented, with the conviction that I was definitely going to move past this and come home. The faith she had in me was unshakeable.
“They” say that you can choose your friends, but not your family. I would choose my family over and over again if given the choice. Family comes first to me, and my sisters are my soul mates.
Fighting to get back to my family is what kept me alive. Without them, I would be in the dark. My parents and sisters held me together, and eventually the puzzle pieces fell back into place.
—SJB