“Get out!” Unfortunately, over the years, this phrase has become too large a part of my vocabulary. Most of the time, I am trying to banish my younger sister, Lise, from my room. I want to be clear—I am not a heartless, spiteful monster. I love my sister more than anything. However, ever since I can remember, she has always followed my every step, watched my every move, mimicked my every action. And to tell the truth, I used to think her sole objective was to hassle me. However, as I grew up, I began to see things differently.

It came as somewhat of a shock to me when I finally realized that Lise did not gain pleasure from my irritation—far from it. She followed me around because she looks up to me.
This may seem an obvious and common occurrence; younger children often look up to their older siblings. Yet this simple fact has affected me in more ways than I can say. Having someone who loves me so much and thinks so highly of me that she actually wants to be like me is an amazing feeling. Through all my faults (and believe me, there are many) and all my imperfections, Lise still thinks that I am flawless. This realization has caused me to completely alter our relationship. Of course, I still get irritated from time to time. We still fight and bicker about meaningless, petty disagreements. But I sincerely try to value the time we have together, especially because it is so fleeting now that I am preparing to leave for college.
We spend priceless time together, whether we are getting lunch, running in our neighborhood, or just sitting in my room and talking. I try to impart my limited wisdom to her, giving her advice on our parents, high school, friends, and even boys. I love that Lise views me as a mentor and I truly hope that my guidance will help her in the future. However, even though I am the one sharing my insight in this relationship, Lise has already given me so much more than I could ever give her. I know that her constant love, unfailing admiration, and fond devotion have changed me forever.