karenabad:

February 18

On this day, 20 years ago [1992] my older sister, Aisha, passed away. She was 8 years old and I was almost 7 years old. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her and how my life would be different if she was around. She was my best friend and partner in crime. Even though she was older than I was, she would always invite me to hang out with her and her friends. I’ll never forget her interrupting my 1st grade class to ask for my lunch because she forgot hers…repeatedly. I’ll never forget playing River Raid on our Atari. I will never forget our adventures. 

On days that I wake up and question what I’m doing with my life (frequently), I wish that she was still around just so that I could call her so she could calm me down and tell me that everything will be just fine.

I only hope that if she was still alive, that she’d be proud of me and what I’m doing with my life.

On this day, I always think about my mom as well. I love her (and my dad) very much and have so much respect for them both. Out of the 5 children my mom has had, my brother and I are the only ones around. I never take my parents for granted.

Never take anyone [family and friends] in your life for granted, especially your parents.

[edit: No, no, don’t be sad, look how funny and ridiculous these photos are. I was such an obnoxious little kid, I’m lucky enough to have had a sister who put up with me and loved me for exactly how weird I was.]