Sisters

"They look so much like you."
"Wow, they're you're double."
As an older sister I'm used to being told they are me,
But are they me?
God, I hope not.
I will always hope not.
I hope they will always be themselves.
That they will be smarter,
Braver and stronger than I ever was.
I hope they will never know the pain I do,
The fear i did.
I hope they will never look in the mirror and hate what looks back.
I hope they will walk paths I fell off, pursue dreams whilst I hog the nightmares.
I hope they will never want to run from home the way I did.
I hope they will reach out to me when life gets to hard the way I never could.
I hope they will keep their smiles, the light behind their eyes and the song in their laughter.
I hope I can protect them from the things no one protected me from.
I hope they know that for as long as I draw breath they will have someone who is proud of them, who will fight for them.
I hope they are not me.
That they will never be me.
That they will always be them.