Samantha's Sweet 17

"When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity."

My sister turned 17 this week, and I got to thinking about how much her life has impacted mine. I (sadly) thought I would be the youngest in my family forever until she came along when I was 9 years old. I remember how anxious I was to take on the role of a big sister -- and how I took it very seriously. Truth is, I was enamored with her from the day she was born. She gave my childhood a whole new meaning.

However harsh this sounds, I'm so grateful that my parents divorced because it gave me my sister. The difficult time, the "crisis" was actually the catalyst that brought about an opportunity for a new life. Despite the hardships and struggles we all go through, I truly believe there is always something positive that comes out of it -- whether it's a better attitude, a stronger heart, a better sense of self, or someone we love so much it hurts. Happy 17th birthday to the girl who stole my heart!