My Little Sister

I have several books which try to explain the relationship of sisters. Other than the obvious, people are individuals, and all the 'explanations' in the world will not describe each individual relationship, they are good reading.  The truth is, sisters are our true friends, even though my sister, Liz, arrived five years after me, she knows me better than even my parents did.

We have sharing a room (when we were little) knowing when the other stayed up to read by flashlight under the covers, sharing dreams, measles, mumps, and chicken pox, fears, and my convincing Liz (when she was three) that we were seeing Santa Clause fly by on Christmas Eve over the rooftops of our neighbourhood! I was concerned that when she stopped beliving, our parents would stop with the good Christmas gifts.

Of course, as a big sister, I would try to take advantage, I would be bossy when we were old enough that my parents would leave us alone with 'me in charge;' Liz can probably tell you with more detail and conviction of all those sins of mine. I remember when she got old enough, my tricks stopped working, and the fights began!  Fortunately for me, I think that after all these years, she might just have forgiven me of most of those things, that, and at some point I realized I could no longer control her!  I remember one time, I don't remember what Maggie and I did to aggravate her, but we tried to appease her with a piece of chocolate cake.  Well she was so mad at us she threw it up in the air, and it hit the ceiling!  I don't remember how - or whether, we got the icing and cake crumbs off the ceiling. Maggie probably does, she has the better memory. In any case, our parents were NOT amused.

As you can see in the picture, above, my parents liked to take pictures on Easter, every year we would have to walk up the front walk before church carring our baskets and wearing our Easter clothes, they didn't make us do any special Christmas pictures, but that was Easter! In the other picture, you will see us with Liz's bunny, 'Fluffy'.  Liz always had this beautiful blond hair, and I thought she was always much more beautiful than me, I was a gaulky kid, with unmanageable dark curls. That's another thing about sisters, we envy each other, and yet we love, with a fearce, and loyal sincerety.

Over the years, as we married, and had families, each with their own challenges, we have become closer,  with a bond that will never be lost. As adults, we are individuals, different occupations, likes, and dislikes, but each of us are rooted in the belief system our parents indwelled in us, on the surface you might see big differences, but we are the same family, and that is the glue that holds the world together.

Have a great day,

Phoebe