“Cousins are those childhood playmates who grow up to be forever friends.” – unknown
Cousins are ready-made friends for life. They’re the super fun people in your family that you laugh with and have many pleasant memories with. Sometimes you fight with them, but you always know you love each other. Cousins are a better thing than brothers and sisters and friends because they’re all this combined into one person.
While some of us may not be very close to our cousins, many of us are lucky to find a very good friend in them. And I can relate myself to the latter.
Growing up, I was fortunate to have a big family with lots of cousins to hang out with. I was extremely lucky to have a cousin 2 years my senior to call my best friend. And I still am.
Today I’m grateful to have a connection that not many people have the privilege of experiencing in their life – the connection with someone who is both your relative and best friend.
Are you still not sure why your cousin is the best friend you can ever wish for?
Here are 10 reasons that will give you the answer:
1. They love and accept you for who you are.
Cousins don’t judge each other. In fact, you’re more likely to judge other people together. They cherish you for who you really are – with all your quirks and annoying habits.
You may have that irritating habit of laughing loudly that you immediately make yourself the center of attention. Yet, your cousin will never think you’re ill-mannered. They’ll join you in the laughter instead.
2. You have a long history with them.
You’ve literally known each other forever. When you meet, you always have something to talk about no matter how long it has been since you last saw them.
They were the person you spent most of your childhood with, and they continue to be an important part of your life. Indeed, your cousin is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.
3. Family events are so much fun.
Boring family reunions? Are you kidding me? You’re never bored when you’re together with your cousin at your grandma’s birthday party or home festival. Moreover, you have the same opinions about certain members of your family and you fight over your favorite aunt’s delicious cookies.
Hanging out with your cousin is the reason you enjoy the family gatherings. Whether it’s talking about a random subject or sharing jokes, your cousin is always there to help you pass the time.
4. You share everything with them.
Just like best friends do, you share everything with your cousin. It’s never been a problem for you to share your clothes with them. You probably even had matching jeans when you were kids. Oh, and I almost forgot, most probably, you also shared the bathtub because you bathed together when you were little.
5. They’re always honest with you.
“Where do you think you’re going with that hair of yours? Are you planning to scare people to death?” Yes, they can be brutally honest.
They say, best friends are the ones who talk bad to your face and say good things about you behind your back. Well, this is exactly how your cousin treats you. They’re always honest with you and never hide things from you. They tell you when you’re wrong and when you should apologize for being rude.
They’ll always choose to tell you the truth even if you don’t want to hear it because they know this is what you need. And when they give you advice, you should know that it’s always honest and that they want the best for you.
6. It’s always an open invitation to their house.
You can pay them a visit whenever you want because their house is open for you any time of the day. Most probably, you already know where they keep the spare key. You don’t think twice before you check their fridge for food. In fact, your favorite meal may already be on the table waiting for you to dig in.
7. You have a lot of inside jokes.
If you noticed your uncle’s new “modern” hairstyle and this made you laugh, chances are your cousin had noticed it either a moment before you or at the same time with you. You can just take a quick glance at each other and burst out laughing.
It’s only you two who understand these inside jokes. When others are looking at you two laughing, they usually wonder if everything is all right with you.
8. They’ve seen you at your lowest.
Your cousin has seen when your heart was broken for the first time. When you failed almost all of your exams that bad semester. When you felt like everything was falling apart. They’ve seen the weirdest and most depressing parts of you and, still, they’ve chosen to stay by your side and continue loving you.
9. You can tell them anything.
Since you’ve literally known each other forever, you feel like you can share wit them every detail about you, your family and friends, and your work.
You always feel comfortable to talk to them about your feelings, dreams, insecurities, fears, and failures because you know they’ll never judge and criticize you for anything.
10. They’re always there for you.
You can make mistakes, put yourself in embarrassing situations, say things you don’t mean, unintentionally hurt their feelings, and go through rough times, but your cousin will always be there for you.
They’ll offer you advice even when you don’t expect it. They’ll be your biggest fan and greatest support. They’ll be your crying shoulder and comforting hug.
They’ll never leave you because you mean the world to them.
