Let me introduce you to my sister, Kimberly (Thomas) Algarin. She is the ultimate badass and it got me thinking. What makes little sisters so special?

Little Sisters Are Special

When we were young, my mother liked to dress us alike. She didn’t do it all the time but when she did, everyone told us how cute we were. We may have liked the attention at first (as little kids often do), but it gradually got under our skin. We wanted to be our own people. It was something for us to rebel against!

Then, in middle school and high school, my sister changed her mind. Maybe being like her big sister wasn’t so bad after all. She started sneaking clothes out of my bedroom. She would dig into my make-up (not that I wore much). With phones attached to walls back then, she listened in on my phone calls. She slipped her way into hang outs with my friends.

At the time, I thought she was a royal pain in the a** but when I look back, I love her all the more for it. Not only was she trying to be close to me, she made sure I always saw her. In truth, we saw each other. Our bond grew over the years and for that, I am so grateful. Aren’t little sisters awesome?

My Little Sister, The Queen

Helen was my great aunt on my father’s side. She was a sweet woman who never had any children of her own, so she doted on my sister and I whenever we had sleepovers at her house. She enjoyed reading us bedtime stories, though she would often make them up herself.

One night, when tucking us in with a story, she referred to me as “queen” and my sister as “princess”. For some reason, my single-digit self saw “queen” as being too matronly and serious. I wanted to be seen as young and pretty. Apparently, I had fallen for the false expectations society puts on young girls. How embarrassing! My sister didn’t fall for it though. I turned down the title but she grabbed onto it with relish. Not a visit would go by without Auntie Helen calling her “queenie”.

It’s not surprising really. My sister has always known how to take center stage. Whether it was as a performer singing in the show choir or her popularity in school, she knew how to shine in most any situation (even if it was in my clothes). She became the queen of her own life, taking no crap from anyone and making her own rules.

My great aunt has since passed away but to this day, my sister remains the “queen”.

My Little Sister, The Hero

We were raised by the same parents, lived in the same neighborhood, and went to the same schools. We loved our baby brother and we had many friends in common. Isn’t it so interesting how two people with the same life circumstances can grow up to lead such different lives?

Driven by our interests and talents, we followed our own paths. I chose a more academic route and started my family later in life. My sister dove into life experience, joining the work force and having children at a young age. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, so long as you find your way.

Those paths each had their challenges but it is the relationships we made that really drove us forward (and sometimes backward). We were both hurt in relationships, lost important people in our lives, and suffered from failures. We shared a lot of that pain when we watched family members struggle and ultimately succumb to drug addiction. Through it all, we held each other up and lent a hand, even if that hand was simply to be empathetic and listen.

We stood beside each other during the good times too, the births, the graduations, the new jobs, the new homes, and even her uprooting a life in Massachusetts to move to Texas. Our struggles never diminish our successes. If there’s anything a Thomas woman knows how to do, it is to celebrate!

With all she has been through in her life, I can honestly say my sister is one of the strongest people I know. I am in awe of her tenacity and grit, her ability to keep going when the chips are down, and her propensity for hope. This queen is an amazing woman. I could not want for more in a sister. We are one heart, one soul. Our mother must have seen it. That’s why she dressed us the same all those years ago.