I’ve always sorta been the bossy older sister. When we were little, I’d make my brothers play “house,” and if they didn’t do what I wanted or if they said something I didn’t like I’d make them start the “scene” over. And they did it. I used to choreograph dances for the three of us as well. Once I taught them one I had made up to the Mission Impossible theme song. We practiced and practiced and had a performance for our parents. I’m sure it was amazing to behold.
Now that my brothers are grown up manly men, I’m sure they wouldn’t like to admit that they played dolls or house or dance with me. I wielded a power over them of sorts because I was their older sister and because I was so bossy.
But there is more to being an older sister than being bossy. I was always protective of my brothers, and made it quite clear when I did not approve of a girlfriend. I cheered for them in countless sports events. And I have always been proud of them.
Even though we are all grown now, I am still proud of my brothers. For years now, my youngest brother has said that he wants to be a life flight pilot some day. A very worthy goal in my opinion! He started training to be a helicopter pilot as soon as he could. He started accumulating flight hours. But obviously, you need a lot of flight hours to be a life flight pilot, so the goal seemed far off.
Just recently, however, Greg was offered his dream job, and accepted. He’ll be an EMS pilot in Ohio starting next month. At only 24 he’s already reached his goal through hard work and skill. I’m so proud of him not just because he got a good job, but because he took something a long way off and made it into a reality for himself. (Uncle Greg will be missed, though! Now we’ll see him even less often.)
My middle brother also gives me reason to be proud. It took him awhile to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. But after finally settling on nursing, he is rapidly approaching the end of nursing school with excellent reviews from his advisers. He is thinking of becoming an ICU nurse. His interest in nursing is obvious every time we see him, and it almost becomes contagious.
I know jobs aren’t everything, and they aren’t the most important things in a person’s life. But both my brothers give me reasons to be proud, and so I’m bragging a bit I guess. It’s my right. I’m the bossy older sister.