Genetics works in mysterious ways. Sometimes, siblings look so alike that anyone can tell they’re related from miles away. Other times, they’re so strikingly different that most people wouldn’t even guess they’re third cousins.
I’d say my sister and I fall into the latter category. While we’re both short, we’re quite different from each other — both in appearance and personality. Sometimes, though, those differences can make one person seem younger or older than they actually are. And when the younger sibling ends up looking older, well… that can create a bit of friction and rivalry between them, which is exactly what happened in today’s story.
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Regardless of age, siblings will act like siblings, and sometimes all it takes is a moment of immaturity or even competitiveness to bring up unresolved issues
Image credits: kuprevich / Magnific (not the actual photo)
A woman's younger sister was always assumed to be the oldest of the two of them, despite the 40-year-old having been an alcoholic in the past
Image credits: freepik / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The oldest woman had moved a while ago and went back to her hometown for a family friend's wedding, finally reconnecting with her sister after a long time
Image credits: gpointstudio / Magnific (not the actual photo)
The 34 year old looked vastly different, and she had evidently fillers and botox, which she asked her oldest sister to keep as a secret, which she agreed to do
Image credits: ambiguousturtlejuice
But then the younger sister told others she looked young because she never drank during her 20's, like her sister had, which led to the oldest responding that it was all due to fillers and Botox
The Original Poster (OP) of today’s story is an older sister who recently had a bit of a spat with her younger sibling. As she explains, she’s 40 years old, while her sister is 34. Despite the six-year age gap between them, her sister is often mistaken for the older of the two. The narrator even jokes that it’s the universe’s way of balancing things out, since her sister was always considered the prettier one.
The OP also explains that she struggled with alcoholism and substance use throughout much of her twenties. Surprisingly, however, those habits didn’t age her as much as one might expect, and she suspects that this may have caused some resentment on her sister’s part. In fact, that resentment became obvious when she returned to her hometown for a family friend’s wedding.
As it turned out, her sister had gone through several cosmetic procedures, including Botox and fillers. The OP says her face looked puffy, her lips were too plump, and overall, she looked very different from how she remembered. And when her sister asked her not to tell anyone about the procedures, the OP happily agreed and intended to keep it a secret, since she wanted her sister to be happy.
But at the wedding, that didn’t go as planned. The younger sister was apparently bombarded with questions from family and friends asking how she managed to keep such a youthful look. According to the OP, her sister responded with a jab, claiming it was the result of not spending her twenties drinking like the OP. Upon hearing that, the older sister fired back, revealing she actually had Botox and fillers.
Image credits: dikushin / Magnific (not the actual photo)
As you might expect, her sister did not take that well. However, she is right about one thing: alcohol use can indeed affect a person's appearance. Pros indicate that alcohol is highly dehydrating because it acts as a natural diuretic. This can lead to severe dehydration and facial flushing. Over time, alcohol consumption can truly change someone’s appearance, even if they don’t realize it.
At the same time, the younger sister's need to tie her self-worth to her appearance isn't all that surprising. As the OP explains, she was always considered the prettier sibling despite often looking older. Psychologists have found that some people base their sense of social and personal value on how they compare to others. In this case, it seems the younger sister is constantly competing with her older sibling.
So, what should the OP do now? Well, if she decides to talk things through with her sister and clear the air, psychologists generally recommend using clear, factual communication rather than lashing out or trying to "fix" the other person. Instead of taking a defensive or confrontational approach, she should try to stay level-headed, express empathy, clearly explain what bothered her, and maintain healthy boundaries.
Most netizens agreed that the OP was not the main jerk in this situation. At the same time, many pointed out that neither sister was particularly kind in exposing the other's personal business. As a result, some of them were both considered jerks by many netizens. So, who do you think was in the wrong here? And how do you think they should patch things up?
Netizens believe that the younger sister shouldn't have been competing with her oldest, but none of them should have revealed each other's personal business
