My Big Sister, My Mentor...My Friend!

I am a middle child, we are an all girls' army, so I have an elder sister and a younger one.

This post will be about the elder one, the first friend I ever knew and the one human being I was closest to for a very long time next to my mum. Having being born not many years after her, she has always been my age mate, she took care of me when my mum was taking care of other things, she fed me and tried to tolerate me, because I was anything but.

We have very different characters, I am yet to decipher hers, because she tends to change according to situations (i need to ask her this one) On the other hand, I have always been an introvert. This was clear from the early years when I was a toddler. I liked being in a corner by myself, or with my sister, or my mum. That was it, I didn't like going out to play with my sister. She was the complete opposite, she was energetic and all she could do was play, she loved it, she had friends, she loved leading and initiating, she was a little ball of energy. She never really rested until she got too exhausted and collapsed when she got back home and slept....she never rests even now 😏

Playing was mostly a chore, i hated it (you heard that right). Anytime we went to play with my sister's friends, I would be on my sister's heels, crying that we needed to go back home 😂😂. She was never amused. Other times when mum would leave her feeding me, she would sneak away to play and leave me and my food behind (who would blame her?) It was not easy to deal with such a grumpy baby 😫



My character did not improve for a very long time, I never tried to be friendly or make friends, she did. With time her friends became mine, her friends siblings therefore became my friends, and that is how I had childhood friends, she made them for me. 😝

She started school before me therefore by the time I joined nursery school, she was ahead of me, same school, different classes. School terrified me!!😭😭 There were all these new kids and a teacher I did not know, I wanted to be in my sister's class, I refused to sit in my class and talk to anyone 😂, it was a while before I adjusted and attended my own classes without drama. That was not all, back home, I did not like strangers visiting us, I did not know how to talk to them, so I always hid in the kitchen whenever there were visitors 😂😂😂 I am not kidding, it would take threats and pinches from my mum to get me to say hello to them. They must have thought I was a spoiled manner-less kid. My sister at this time would have already said hello to everyone, held some small talk and probably recited a poem upon request 😜.

She has always been industrious. Always on the move. She always did her chores on time, she was obedient and loved being detailed and neat. Dear readers, the above qualities were not bestowed to me when my maker made me. When I was crafted in my mother's womb, some things were forgotten. Like obedience, doing things in an orderly manner, responding to instructions...are these man-made? Are they in-build? Are they cultivated? When was her's cultivated and why did't I receive the memo? I mean, I was with her every step of the way, yet she turned out like a beautiful, well tended rose flower, and I, well.....I became whatever weed grows next to the watered rose flower (character-wise) 😂😂😂

The above led to endless battles at home, my behind was beaten, I was pinched and pulled by my ears, but the pain only lasted for a few minutes, I would be 'good' for sometime, then I would revert to my old self. Chores were never completed when it was up to me. Remember when I did not like to play? Well, this urge developed when I grew up and started having chores assigned to me. I would play all day and forget that I was supposed to wash the dishes. My mum would come home to find half-washed dishes, poorly washed dishes or not washed at all. Poor my mum, she would punish me and lecture me, but the same thing would happen over and over again. I was the rebellious kid, my sister....she was the good one. Sometimes she would do all the chores to protect me, or we would both be punished because I was not a team-player. I am so sorry dear sis 😘😘

In my younger years, I never thought about any of it, I just did what I felt like when I felt like it, no pressure. It never occurred to me that I could be 'nice' and avoid the pinches and beatings. Fast forward, my sister went to boarding school. By this time there was a younger little sister, but the elder one remained my number one 😁. I wanted to follow her to boarding school and follow her I did. I also managed to go to the same high school; coincidence? I don't think so 😆😆

She is still as busy as ever. She is like a termite or squirrel, always on the move, if she is not doing this, it is something else. She rarely rests. She has achieved a lot as a result. She has titles, both academically and socially. She almost feels like a mum to me 😊 but she is a darling sister, who luckily came before me, because if I was the first born, It would have been messy, my mum would have thrown me out, and probably would have lost her mind too. I am so sorry mum.😂😂.

Everywhere she goes, she leaves a mark. She is unforgettable. She has the legendary Midas touch 😊 I meet her school mates and primary school teachers, they all remember her. If I want to introduce myself to those early acquaintances, I ask, do you know so and so? The answer is always a big YES! and the rest follows. Her energy amazes me to this day, how do you do it?

I could not have wished for a more perfect sister, I am still introverted, comfortable in my own little corner. Her? She is on the other side of the globe, making moves and acting like it is nothing. I applaud her and I am ever so proud of her. I love you!!