Walking in my Sister's Shadow – Fridays with Ferne: Episode #27
Have you ever felt like there was someone in your life that always did better than you? No matter how hard you tried, they always seemed to excel with ease, and you were always struggling just behind them?
Bridget is in that exact boat. The worst part is, her younger sister is the one that is always just ahead of her. Bridget’s younger sister June is the “perfect” one – she has a full ride to med school, she constantly wins awards and scholarships, she is beautiful and graceful, and everyone loves her. Bridget on the other hand feels like she pales in comparison – she never did well at school, she is working an entry-level job, and she feels clumsy and inelegant. Sometimes, she just wishes that her sister would fail so that she could feel what it’s like to be like everyone else in the world. Bridget doesn’t know how to step out of her sister’s shadow.
I would tell Bridget to stop comparing herself. Bridget and her sister are different people, they are incomparable. Even though they are sisters, Bridget doesn’t know what is happening in June’s inner world. June may seem like she is excelling, but Bridget doesn’t really know how she feels, she doesn’t know how much of a toll everything is taking on her. Instead of wishing ill on her, Bridget should celebrate with her sister. Someone else’s success should never take away from yours.