For My Sister

Dear Sister,

I have loved you since you were born. I have fallen more in love with you every day of our lives. Even when I couldn't stand you, I also couldn't have loved you any more. We have shared a room and then our own place practically our whole lives and now that you are leaving I feel like a giant piece of my heart is breaking away and leaving with you. I know that you need to move away and be free and start a life that makes you truly happy. You deserve those things. You earned those things. But I also selfishly don't want to be so far from you. 

We couldn't be any more different. Many times in my life I wanted to be like you, young and beautiful and carefree. You couldn't back down from a dare. You played football with the boys. You spoke your mind and you were never afraid to be just you. I'm sure having a nerdy, sarcastic sister wasn't always easy and sometimes I think maybe you felt my shadow loom over you. But it never did. You always shone brighter than anything I've ever seen and will likely ever see. 

We didn't share many secrets and led different lives for many years. Even then, I knew that if I had nobody, I would always have you. Today, I know that I don't need anybody else if I have you. You have  been many things for me when I felt lost. My younger sister, providing wisdom and insight beyond her years. Words would be insufficient to express your impact on my life. 

Although many states will separate us, just know that a part of me is going with you and will guide you and protect you whenever you need it. 

You are my favorite person and  I already miss watching Brain Games with you. 

Thank you for some of the best memories of my life.

I WILL LOVE YOU FOR ETERNITY AND right now,

Sara <3

My dad is kinda cool

I type this from an airplane on my way home...via Pittsburgh Airport. I can safely say not many people travel TO Pittsburgh. My flight is pretty sparse and I get a window seat and the empty seat next to me. I'm so spoiled. 

I'm flying home on Father's Day so maybe that is why I have noticed all the fathers in the airport and on my flight. There was a father sitting next to me and his family was across the aisle. He wanted a window seat and decided to move to an empty seat. I asked his wife if she thought her husband would like to switch seats so he can still be by them and she said that he would probably prefer to be away from the kids and she will let him this time because it's Father's Day. 

I politely laughed but I thought to myself...Shouldn't he want to be by his family on Father's Day? Is that not the purpose? Since when did these type of holidays mean that you get time away from the people you love and the reason you are able to celebrate? 

My father has a giant heart and his best times seem to be when he is around his family. I actually see him THRIVE in settings where he is around the people he loves the most. He would never think to not spend time with us on this day. 

As part of the daily festivities, there will be dinner at my parents' house followed by dessert at my uncle's house, where we will celebrate all the dads in my family. As annoying as they can all be sometimes (Yes, dad, I got my oil changed...thanks for the reminders EVERY time I talk to you), I am supremely proud of every many in my life. Through their faults and their strengths, they have taught me some of my most important life lessons. With some of the types of men out there, I am reminded regularly of how fortunate I am.  

On this day, its easy to remember why we love our dads. Let's try to always remind them, because as we get older so do they. And today, tomorrow, months from now, remember this and the reasons we love them...and let them know. 

I can't WAIT TO SPEND TIME WITH MY DAD right now,

Sara <3

Get Over It. Tips to mending a broken heart...or forgetting about it until it mends itself.

I have dated a lot of men. I have broken up with a lot of men. And I think somewhere in there I have been broken up with. Right now I'm going through a thing, which I think I briefly touched on in a previous post. Anyways, I'm going through this thing and I'm feeling a lot better about it. As I knew I would. My system usually works. I am going to share my tips and I hope it works for you because we could all use any way available to mend a broken heart. If it doesn't work...try throwing a lamp or something. It works in the movies.

1. Go out. Get dressed up, put on lipstick, wear high heels and go out.

2. FLIRT. You don't have to date someone you meet out, but it's reassuring to feel wanted and sometimes all you need to know is that someone finds you interesting.

3. Surround yourself with people who flatter you. Let your friends tell you that you deserve better and that you're worth more and that you're a pretty pretty princess. Repetition is important.

4. Surround yourself with people who will remind you why he's your ex. It's important to have friends remind you of how great you are, but it also helps when you have friends who remind you of the bad things in your ex that you might not be able to see. We tend to over-romanticize things and our friends are there to keep us in check.

5. Go out again. Buy a new outfit and wear it. And rock it. This time, have a good time, not to show off to other people, but because you DESERVE to.

6. Don't think too hard. Don't ponder what could have been, what you could have done differently, what he could have done differently. It's done and it hurts. Don't fix the past. Fix yourself for the future and the many possibilities that lay ahead of you.

7. Remember that "every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end". We have begun again so many times we probably don't even realize how many times we start over in life. And that's a good thing. It's proof that we can. Think about the times something ended...and all the times you got to start over again and prove how brave you are. You are brave. And you can do it.

The most important thing to remember is that you are amazing. There are seven billion people in the world...the universe won't let you be alone unless you want that. 

I can't LOVE YOU ENOUGH right now,

Sara <3