A Letter To My Sisters

Hey, you three,

When seeing this competition, I couldn’t help but think of all we’ve gone through, all we’ve overcome together. Us Dawson sisters have been in a whole other world. We’ve lived through financial struggles at young ages. We’ve dealt with mistreatment from others. We’ve carried burdens and secrets too heavy for most. We’ve held each other in heartbreak. We’ve seen each other at our worst. I don’t know if I’ve confessed this openly, and I’m still unsure if I’ll ever let any of you read this, but each one of you has been my strength, encouragement, inspiration, friend, and comfort in different ways.

Megan,

We’ve had a lot of bad moments and a lot of tension. We’ve always been two opposites in our personalities, hobbies, and decisions. Lately, I’ve been so excited that we’ve been so much closer. We are in the process of maturing and learning to accept each other’s differences. Even when we didn’t get along well, you’ve always had my back. You’ve been so bold through the years, standing up to mom when things were harsh and unjust. No matter how she would treat you time and time again for it, you had the courage that all of us lacked. A lot of us played “the game” to keep her happy. But not you. You are a strong individual. I’m also so proud of you for handling your recent breakup so well. You have come to a realization that it wasn’t a good fit, but yet you are thankful for the lessons it gave you. You have gained new wisdom and inner confidence and peace you didn’t have before. Besides all of this, I’ve always admired your lively personality. Your presence commands attention and your words lead conversations. You are always entertaining the family with stories and jokes. You are the type of person people can’t easily forget. As much as you’ve been a pain to deal with at times, I’m thankful for you as my sister.

Arianna,

You have been the source of a lot of encouragement for me. I remember many times getting your advice (and you are younger than me!), having your comforting voice accompanied by a sweet hug, and having your listening ear. You deal with a lot of your own mind battles every day with depression, but you are still so willing to encourage others. You are so strong inwardly it inspires me. Your strength through what life has handed you, your strength in your convictions, your strength with your mental health, your strength through hurt by others, every bit of it inspires me. No matter how others treat you, you’ve always been kind and respectful. Like that time a friend didn’t care to give the right address to a youth night. I could see the hurt in your eyes, but you never let it consume you. I was thankful I drove you that night, not only so our parents didn’t complain about driving all the way there and then having to leave, but also because instead, we spent time together. Just the two of us. We laughed and we talked. It was special. You’ve always been strong as yourself, even if yourself is different than normal. I admire your kindness, your intelligence, your ability to be yourself, and your 50s music obsession. You are strong in getting up every day with depression, and still treating others with kindness and understanding. You are very much unaware that your future is bright.

Lorea’,

We have a lot of years between us, and it can be hard to find things in common sometimes. You tend to close the door to your thoughts often, to keep the peace and to protect yourself. I don’t blame you. People close have proven themselves untrustworthy and emotionally distant from you. Despite all of this though, when someone takes time to get to know you, you are crazy funny. You are a literal goofball with a heart of gold. My goodness, your sweetness frustrates me sometimes. Like when you insist on buying me something for no reason. I’d say, “No, I’m good.” Only for you to reply, “Either tell me something you like or I’m just going to buy something random. It might be something you don’t like and be a waste of money when I could get you something you actually like.” You are so stubborn when it comes to giving to others. A quality that frustrates me but I still admire. Another memory I have was when I was baking. I still had so much left to finish and I was thirsty. I hadn’t had water in a while, but my hands were a mess so I kept going. You heard me complaining to someone else about how thirsty I am and took it upon yourself to get me a cup of water! I didn’t ask you. You didn’t have to. You cared to. Your attention to the needs of others is what makes you strong. How you’ve carried many burdens—of family drama, of friends, of your own—is what makes you strong. Lastly, you are strong for dealing with anxiety every day all the time. I know going out places is hard for you. I know meeting new people or even hanging out with friends takes a lot of your strength. You’re not perfect with overcoming these, but you still try and that makes you strong to me. I’ll always be cheering you on in life.

I’m so incredibly thankful to call such persevering you women my sisters. I’ve learned a lot from you all, more than I can write. Thank you. Thank you for all the memories. Thank you for all the memories. Thank you for who you’ve been, who you are, and who you are becoming.

With love,

Ella