9 Reasons Sister Love Is The Most Important Love Of Your Life
Go thank your sister right now. Go on, we'll wait.
getty Growing up, I was always disappointed that I didn't have any brothers. I managed to forge brotherhoods along the way, generally through beer and shirtless wrestling, but as an adult I couldn't be more thankful for having a sister. I love my sister; in fact, I have two of them! I'm incredibly close with both and think I'd be a much crappier person without them.
Would I have been a pretty good guy had it been brothers instead? Possibly. But we also could have been bank robbers... you rarely hear about brother-sister criminal duos. Here are 9 reasons everyone should appreciate having a sister love bond with their siblings. And for me, that means the closest women in my life.
1. They're here for you, emotionally and physically.
I've been through a handful of really crappy breakups, and while it's nice to know that my sisters are always there emotionally, it's even better to know that no matter how awful things get, they'll never jump ship on our relationship either.
2. They (politely) tell you when you stink.
Both of my sisters have, at one point or another, pointed out that my body, breath or feet maybe had something a little extra going on and it wasn't pleasant. Guys have a great tolerance for stank and most other women are too polite to mention that they're breathing through their mouth.
3. They roll their eyes right along with you.
Even the best families have some less than savory mandatory events (funerals, reunions in places that don't get mobile services, your cousin's movie premiere that he's just going to lord over you). Without someone to roll your eyes with, you may "accidentally" go swimming less than 30 minutes after eating.
4. They're the reason other women trust you.
I've had several lady friends tell me they trust guys with sisters more. Conventional wisdom tells us that growing up with brothers tends to make a girl "tougher," while growing up with sisters seems to make guys treat women better and, ideally, not put them on a pedestal.
5. They're fantastic sounding boards.
Any lady who hears her guy complain about his mom more than once a year is immediately on high-alert for Norman Bates behavior. But we all have family issues from time-to-time and it's great having a sounding board to bounce ideas off without having to fill in the backstory and/or pull punches.
6. They help decipher other women's behavior.
When it comes to gifts or figuring out "why is she being SO weird lately?" it's great to have someone in your life whom you trust wholeheartedly to ask these questions knowing that A) there are no ulterior motives, and B) confidentiality is the standard.
7. They have dateable friends.
Chances are your sister will have at least one or two dateable friends. Or at least friends of friends who are dateable. It's like shooting fish in a barrel. Unfortunately, this doesn't work in the opposite direction because most men aren't interested in letting their disgusting friends get their dirty meat hooks on their sisters.
8. They remember all the important dates.
I know it's a gross stereotype that all of us agree is pure BS, but women seem to be better at remembering birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, national holidays than us. And they seem to be better at picking out a thoughtful gift than us. They seem comfortable with letting us slap our name on it with the understanding that it will be repaid down the road with acts of service.
9. Most importantly, they're blood.
We share nature and nurture. Sharing blood and a common home goes a very long way toward figuring out who we are. Sisters, or any siblings really, are a vital link to our past and a funhouse mirror in which we measure our own growth and place on this Earth. Plus, you likely have similar complexion and can go halfsies on sunscreen.
I love my sisters without reservations. I've become surrogate parts of their married families and I don't know what I'd do without them. I hope they feel the same way about me. And you're welcome for not making any Flowers In The Attic jokes.
Tom Miller is a writer and performer based in New York. He's been a mechanical engineer and a banker. He's been the general manager and coordinating video producer at YourTango for 11 years. He's probably listening to Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" as we speak.