Personal Narrative On My Sister By Joseph Outen

As the Vietnamese proverb reads, “Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet.” My older brother, Joseph Outen, possesses traits of loyalty, humility, intelligence, and compassion. The admiration I feel towards Joseph grows deeper every day. He inspires me in my academic studies, extracurricular activities, community involvement, and he inspires me to show my true self to the world without shame or fear of discrimination. Though many siblings share close bonds, the relationship my brother and I cherish offers a uniqueness unlike most. My brother has carved my path to success by way of his mistakes. Upon entering high school, my brother experienced problems with low self-esteem and peer pressure. He soon developed an addiction to drugs and alcohol. When this happened, I experienced life lessons that shaped me into the independent woman I am today. Around the age of

I feared one morning I was going to wake up and no longer hold the title of “sister.” Numerous hours of my day were spent fantasizing about his funeral: what songs would play? What would I wear? How would I react? I spent months down on my knees begging God to show Joe the light and the greatness within himself. Experiencing the tragic events of Joe’s life from the passenger seat impacted my life dramatically. Joe taught me to never judge a book by its cover, for what the pages hold within may be unknown to the public eye. Joe taught me to have faith and never give up on someone, because you may be the one piece holding him or her together. From my brother, I learned to have patience, to show empathy, to be cautious of the words I speak and the effect they may emanate, and-most importantly- my brother taught me how to love unconditionally. Never will there be time I neglect to thank God for my brother’s precious life. Despite all the self-harm and pain my brother inflicted upon himself and others, he will always be my