Appreciation #1

I am totally stealing the appreciation posting idea from my friend Tamara's blog but I loved it so much that I had to do it. There are so many people that I appreciate having in my life that I wanted to shout it from the rooftops... or from my blog- same difference.

My first appreciation was a difficult one. It was difficult in the sense that labeling your first appreciation can be interpreted to mean that you are proclaiming who the #1 person in your life is. Should I go neutral or go with the first one to pop into my head? There are so many! Well, I decided that the pressures of choosing who would be my first appreciation will not be an announcement of the #1 person in my life. It will simply be my first appreciation of many that are all created equal. So... DISCLAIMER: The following in no way endorses any individual as being more or less important to me.

My first appreciation is my sister Tricia (Patricia, Patty, Tink, T, Stinky Molasses... whatever you choose to refer to her by). I don't think there is any other person in the world who has made me stop and reflect about who I am more than my sister. (She might kill me for airing this in public but I think it's worth it).

Anyone who knows me knows that my sister and I have had a very dynamic relationship while growing up. There is no one in the world that can push my buttons faster than Tricia and I think she would say the same about me. On the flip side, there is no one in the world who has taught me more about loving people for who they are. There were so many times growing up with Tricia that she drove me nuts because she didn't do things the same way I did. She was the first person in my life to really push boundaries and take the roads less travelled. These things she did that made me so crazy growing up are the things that I admire and love her for now. In fact, I cherish them.

Above and beyond all of the reasons why I appreciate my sister there is one that stands alone as the most important, Tricia has given me my purpose in life. I teach because of Tricia. I fight for the kids who take the road less travelled because of Tricia. I search for the person- the human- the spark inside every student in my class because of Tricia. (Wiping away the tears now). Tricia taught me the hardest lesson of my life so far... that my way isn't the best way and isn't the only way. I am a better human being because I consciously fight everyday not to criticize those who do things differently (We all do it and I am really trying to become aware of it and stop). In fact, I find myself celebrating those who do do things differently. I am far from a perfect person and I still struggle with the fact that the world isn't OCD and type-A like me, but my sister has taught me that the world shouldn't be full of people who do things the way I do.

Tricia is a one-of-a-kind and I am so lucky that I get to be the only sister she has. I don't have to share her with anyone else! 

There was no one better to learn the lesson of compassion from than my sister. She has always been the type of person that would give you the shirt off her back if it made you happy. She would do anything to make a person happy. My life would definitely be a heck of a lot more boring without her in it.

So thank you Tricia for making me more compassionate and understanding, even if the pain and torture you suffered in the process still seems a bit unnecessary, I hope you see now that it did serve a purpose. I love you just the way you are. I hope you never ever change.