What can I say, I'm honored to be the subject of post over at LM&F. It was pretty cool to see such an interest taken in what I've accomplished, and it's sparked in me a desire to talk about what an awesome sister I have.So first, the title. I believe it was Aaron Lawrick, a member of "The Merry Pranksters", as Sadaf liked to call us, who came up with the perfect analogy for the impactfulness of my siblings. He described Osman as "a grizzly bear at the zoo." Sure, he's ferocious and cunning, but if you don't poke him with a stick or stand too close to the cage, he'll be more than content to leave you alone. Sadaf however, was more like "a tiger on the prowl." She might seem relaxed; uninterested in ripping you to shreds, but rest assured: the keen eye was there. Fates were being decided whenever she entered the room. You couldn't know if she was just going to walk through, or destroy you. Such was (and is) the presence of my big sister. Maybe it was because she's so much older than me. Who knows? Whatever the reason, to this day whenever I envision her she's like 8 feet tall. I'm always surprised when I see her in person and she's shoulder height to me.
Yet as she said, and for whatever reason, be it the age gap, differing interests, the reclusivity of her teenage years, or those alleged smoke rings, there had been some distance between me and my 8yrs. senior sister. However, as far apart as we were in age, I do remember more than the "Who are you??" on the day she left for college. In fact, I'm reminded of a few key moments in my development as a person to which I owe her credit. Three particular events come to mind:
1.
Sadaf: How long has it been since I've given you a good beating?
Riz: (sarcastically) Obviously too long.
{a good beating ensues}
Lesson: Don't be a wise-ass.
2. On Arguments:
Sadaf: Remember Riz, the key to navigating any argument with your girlfriend is to say "you're right, I'm wrong, and I don't know what I was thinking." Trust me, it's not worth it to win the argument. You lose far worse if you win.
And most importantly...
3. The Bus Incident:
I can remember as an elementary school kid, probably no further along than first or second grade, being picked on by a 6th grade bully on the school bus. I can still recall his name (Cy), and remember running up the driveway at the end of the day in tears from his hurtful antics. At any rate, the bullying stopped abruptly one fine day, and it was only years later that I discovered the reason.
Apparently my sister and brother got wind of this palooka's afternoon pastime and, feeling protective of their younger brother (or being pissed at someone trying to muscle in on their turf), decided to and do something about it.
The next day, my sister and brother waited for Cy to board the afternoon bus. They then got on in turns and persuaded him that bullying their little brother wouldn't be in his best interests, unless he had a strong desire to sing soprano for the rest of his life.
Needless to say, that last event is why I feel so strongly about my big sis. It taught me the lesson that no matter how sarcastic or glib we can be with one another, When one of us is in need, everything else takes a backseat. That's what family's all about.
Sadaf, you're the best big sister anyone could hope for (in fact, you're my favorite big sister). I could list a dozen more ways you've helped me get to where I am. Thanks for always being such a huge influence in my life, and if you ever need me to get on a bus and kick some 6th grader's ass for you; you got it.
