When we were younger,

I never understood why you wanted to be around me so much.

Mom and Dad used to tell me about how much you looked up to me.

I didn’t think I was much to look up to.

For the longest time, I was so caught up in myself,

(I still am, but let me have this one)

I couldn’t see why anyone would want to be around me.

Let alone my little sister.

But as I’ve gotten older, and created some distance

(Height-wise and State-wise)

I realized maybe you did look up at me.

I realized how similar we are.

We’re siblings, so…of course.

But I suppose it’s deeper than that.

Little Eli wanted to be differently so badly,

He didn’t care how he got there.

“I’m not like my sisters, my hair is a different color,

I’m much more tan, I like computers,

Why would I ever like the things my sisters like?

They’re girls.”

Little Lily just wouldn’t let him have those easy points.

She followed him around, observing all his quirks, and picking them up.

I realize now that you didn’t love them for what they were to you,

You loved them for what they were to me.

So now, though we’re very different,

I realize how similar you’ve made us.

Through your abundance of love for the

Brother who sometimes couldn’t be bothered,

You’d decide to pull up a chair and ask some questions.

Even though I was supposed to be the older sibling,

The one in charge of everything,

You just had to go and steal my little things.

And make yourself just a little more like me.

When I see myself in you,

Or rather see you following me to the places I’ve been, 

Or doing the things I’ve done, 

Or dealing with the people I’ve known,

I get a little worried… 

Maybe I didn’t prepare you enough.

Maybe I didn’t brother you enough.

But then I remember how you’ve always mirrored me,

In your Little Lily Way.

Following me, placing your feet in my tracks,

Like when we used to go to Nonni’s after it snowed.

But I think we’ve both realized,

That we’re growing a little more,

That my feet aren’t so much bigger,

That our faces aren’t so far apart,

And that the road ahead of us is quite wide,

Much wider than the one at home.

We are walking on different sides of it now,

But I still see you.

You are not hard to miss.

Wherever you go,

Whatever side you take.

Always know I am going with you,

In my little Eli way.