My sister took over my place as the coolest sibling, and something must be done.
Growing up, I feel like I have had some people to look up to, but for the most part, navigating friendships, athletics, school, and career has been my own journey to find my way through, and I think I set a nice bar for the things that I have been able to accomplish. Now my sister following seven years behind me has had quite the impressive story for herself, but to me, always felt like some fairy dust trying to fill my shoes. Yes, I am so proud of her, but no, I never felt threatened that my spot as coolest Oehme sibling would be threatened. That is until yesterday. My sister was selected to give a commencement speech at her college's Honors graduation, which is cool, I can't lie. The Oehme's have a flair for giving presentations, stemming from our undying need for attention I'm sure. But this was more than just that. She had real presence up there on that stage. Like Josh Lyman telling Sam Seaborn he knows the real thing when he sees it in a candidate like Jed Bartlet, man she looked like the real thing up there. Her speech was okay, but it was so much more than that. She was confident, clear. She had the command of the room. You can sense the admiration and respect the rest of the graduating class had for her. She's not the imposter faking her way through the degree that I was. My definition of "cool" has definitely changed a lot over the years, but achievement is something undeniable. That doesn't go away. And to pile on, she's not going giving the honors speech, but another speech as well for the rest of the nursing school graduates tomorrow, which she says, is a much more powerfully written and emotional speech. Man, good for her. It really makes me hold a mirror up to my life at the time of my graduation, when I was a big dumb fat alcoholic without a direction or purpose in life. She's already so far ahead of where I was at her age. And that's awesome. I really am proud of her. But I'm also motivated. The rising tide raises all ships, you know, that's kind of the whole purpose of this group. To keep going to keep striving for something bigger. I don't think I am going back to school, so now I need to find a new avenue where I can achieve something so cool and monumental that I overtake her position as the best child. My hope, is that it is this group. Being a founder of a group so influential that it can change the world. That might put me back on top. But only if this group works out. Let's grind.