One of the biggest sacrifices I made in this lifetime was not seeing my sisters grow up and being there for them. Being the oldest daughter but having an older brother, your challenge is to set an example; lead, guide, and advise your siblings.
I gave up a lot to leave home for a completely different state with no relatives or friends in sight. My hatred and my sadness drove me as far as money could take me to a small town in Westchester, called New Rochelle. This was the age before Facetime and cheap cellphones. I wrote a lot to my mother and my sibling. Overtime, all the bad feelings went away and I grew more sympathic and understanding of my the situation.
My sisters are 4 and 9 years younger than me. When I left, my baby sister was shorter than me and I’m only 5 feet tall. When I graduated college, she’s a full head and a half taller than me! Four years in college and I missed out on my sisters’ first date, homecoming, prom, birthdays, and breakups. I couldn’t be there to take photos, tell them secrets, cheer them on, and comfort them.
When my parents divorced, we were all that we had. No relatives spoke with us again. We grew closer. They looked up to me as their oldest sister. I took care of them like a sister and a second mother. It was one of the hardest decisions I had ever made in my life and I don’t regret it but I wonder about it, would things be different for my sisters if I stayed back?
Those questions are meaningless because I can’t live my life for them, I can only be there to support them. But I am comforted to know that they are doing well, striving hard to make their lives great, as I’ve paved a path for myself.
I showed them that leaving home is not scary, leaving to another state is exhilarating and meeting new people is the joy of life. I travel and I learn, doors open for me, the world is my oyster and I am the pearl, unique and special. Fear is only an obstacle you place on yourself. When you make that one step that will change your life, you will know it because you are unsure of its potential, scared and excited and sometimes alone, but brave enough to withstand it because you have the support and love of your family.
One of the things you learn being the oldest sister is being a good role model, setting up ethics and goals and hoping that your younger siblings can follow by this example. You hope that they do well in life but will always give them support—even in their hardest time.