What My 11-year-old Sister Taught Me

This past week I spent sometime back in Massachusetts hanging out with my siblings for the week as my parents got their groove back in Jamaica. I dropped her off and picked her up from school. We did homework in the evenings. We watched movies, TV and slept. We planned out our next date (The movies and website building). We ate bad food, and laughed with our brother over the crazy shit our parents do. Oh, and we got pedicures, because… I am Yetti, and she is mini-me. We bonded, not to say we weren’t close before, but this was one of the best weekends ever. With my friend, my hero, my baby sister.

Throughout the week and weekend, I asked her about her day, what she wants to do, what she likes, and what she doesn’t like. This little lady is as simple as they come, but as wise as ever for her age.

Let me share with you what she taught me.

LIVE A LITTLE

Do you see those blue nails? Totz chose that color. I asked her if she was sure, not because I was afraid of what her school or my father would say. but because I tend to shy away from wearing blue on my hands and feet for the fear that it would look “too much”. I try to ease up on designs and certain colors. She nodded yes both times I asked, and then flaunted her toes adorned with palm trees after, stating, “It looks good on me. I got blue last time too!”

I decided to match her. The color did look great on her, but her confidence and bravery and I don’t really care what others say mindset looked even better.

My toes are blue too.

BE PROUD OF LIKING THINGS OTHERS DO NOT.

My sister is truly my mini-me, we’re both homebodies. She chose to stay at home rather than gallivanting around with her friends. Her reasoning was simple, yet authentically her: “I don’t really like shopping, and I like being at home with you.” As she fiddled on her iPad, I typed away on my laptop. I’d ask her if she wanted to do anything, her answer was always the same, “not really.”

It took me till last year to be comfortable with admitting that I really just do not like to go out, and not feel guilty about it.

She’s mastered it already.

IT’S OKAY TO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING. IT’S OKAY TO WANT TO TEACH YOURSELF TOO.

Her third and final lesson was teaching me that it’s okay to not knowing everything while she spent hours on the computer and trying to figure out how to make her webpage work. She could’ve asked me, but she didn’t. When I offered to assist, she said she wanted to try it out first. She was on that computer for four hours.

Totz figured it out. TotiSays.com anybody?

Though I know this is probably just a result of her current age. And yes, I know teen years tend to change you and mold you into a different kind of beast [ good luck Mum and Dad ], but right now at this moment, she’s got life figured out. She’s got the toughest thought processes down, and this past week, she served as a reminder that it is indeed possible to think and execute this way.

Thank you Toti, I love you with all of my heart. See you in two weeks. [ yes, you can comment on this post if Mum says yes! This is the only post you’re allowed to read! ]