Friday, April 22, 2011

S is for Sisters


The best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend.  ~ Cali Rae Turner

I recently read a post on one of the blogs I visit that really got to me. The blogger wrote about how her sister had been diagnosed with brain cancer, and my heart broke for her and her family. As the youngest in my family, I could relate to the relationship the blogger described with her sister, who was older. I also couldn't help but think about how devastated I would be if I got that news about one of my sisters. So, while I originally had a different post planned for S, I decided to write about sisters instead. 

I know many people have difficult or toxic relationships with their sisters, but I have been fortunate to have the opposite experience. I have a great family, and friends who are very dear to me, but there is nothing that is quite the same as my relationship with my sisters. 

People say we talk alike and act alike, and share many of the same mannerisms. It's hard for me to say if that's true, but I do know we can talk in a shorthand that no one else is privy to, and I usually know what the other two are thinking without anyone saying a word. I can say "remember when?" and, inevitably, they do. They remember, because they were there too.

When I was a child, I was harassed by a bully who lived down the street. She was a foul-mouthed, nasty girl who clearly enjoyed picking on younger, smaller kids. When my sister learned the bully was harassing me, she went after her. The bully never bothered me again. 

As I've gotten older, I don't need my sister to fight my battles. But it's still been a comfort to know that there has always been someone I could count on to have my back.

When I learned that one of my articles had been accepted for publication, the first person I told was my sister. I got the e-mail at 6:00 in the morning, but I knew I could call her. Conversely, when I've been sick or stressed or faced with a problem, the first people I talk to are my sisters.
 
It's inevitable that people come in and out of our lives, staying for various lengths of time. Some fly through quickly, others come along and take up permanent residence. But through childhood and adolescence, adulthood and middle age, my sisters have been a constant.

I can't imagine a world without them in it.

To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each others' hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time.  ~ Clara Ortega

With my sisters (I'm the little one in the middle) on Martha's Vineyard

18 comments:

  1. You sound like you have a great sister. I love my sister too. We are close.

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  2. I love this post! I am very close to my sister too. Great quotes, thanks for sharing.

    I’m A-Z Blogging on Langley Writes about Writing and Langley’s Rich and Random Life

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  3. Waht a lovely post! And you're right, having a close is great, or a close brother. a strong family bond is extremely important.

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  4. A wonderful post, I never had a sister, I have a brother but would have loved a sister,

    Yvonne.

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  5. how wonderful! I'm an only child and then divorce/remarriage happened and I gained 2 step sisters, a step brother, 2 half brothers and a half sister! None of them I was ever close to, but I see the step siblings more than those I share the same dad. I can see a nice bond between siblings from my husband and his sister's relationship.

    Sandi
    http://www.ahhsome.wordpress.com

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  6. Being an older sister this was special. I was always chasing away bullies and then would turn around to pull pig-tails :)

    Wonderful tribute.
    Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

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  7. I an older sister. Growing up with my sister has given me so much material for my writing. I have two older stepsisters and I really look up to them too.

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  8. I am a younger sister and I know I grew up watching everything my sister did and always wanting to be like her. We are best friends to this day! Love the post, nice job!

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  9. Aw....I'm sincerely touched that you mentioned the post I wrote about my sister and that you were moved by it. Goods news is that she's scheduled for surgery next Friday, and her doctors expect to successfully remove the tumour.

    Thanks for the kind words you left on my blog.

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  10. Great post about sisters. My sister is my best friend. Sounds like you have a good relationship with yours too. Nice to hear!

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  11. Great post Julie. I have a younger brother and sister. I'm sure there are different dynamics involved, but your words capture what I love my about my siblings too.

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  12. @Karen, as I've gotten older I've come to realize how lucky I am to have the family I do. When I was younger I took it for granted, but now I see how fortunate I was, and still am. Thanks for your comment!

    @Angela, I really do, glad you have that bond as well.

    @Langley, thanks so much, glad you liked it!

    @D U, thank you. I agree, I have brothers too and a great family overall, I'm very grateful for those bonds.

    @Yvonne, thanks!

    @ahhsome, thanks so much!

    @Jules, thank you. When I was little I wished I had a younger sister too, I wanted to be the big sister sometimes. :D

    @Carrie, you are so right, I think family relationships can provide so much material for writing. There is a lot to mine there for sure.

    @Snakesmom, thank you! Great to meet you, thanks so much. I always wanted to be like my sister too, it's kind of funny to think about now. I was a little mimic.

    @Kara, oh, that's wonderful news! I hope your sister's surgery goes well, so glad they are expecting a full recovery for her. Hugs to you both.

    @Amy, I do, thanks so much.

    @Tim, thank you. Yeah, I think the dynamics are different for everyone, but the feelings are the same.

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  13. Julie ~ that picture of you girls is awesome. You are so fortunate to have two beautiful sisters in your life. :-) I can't imagine what life would be like without mine.

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  14. @Tracy Jo, thank you! I know just what you mean, I do feel very fortunate. Thanks for your comment.

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  15. I've have taken some time to enjoy your blog and this post pulled at my heart strings.

    I have been estranged from my only sister for these past eleven years.
    Reading your post was a reminder of how much we lose out on when these bonds are broken.

    Give your sisters an extra hug for me! Consider yourselves blessed that through the years you have remained close.

    Happy Thoughts,
    Jenny

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  16. @Jenny, oh, I'm sorry about your estrangement from your sister. Thank you for your comment, I'm very touched by it. Hugs to you.

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  17. I just love this post, Julie! What a terrific relationship you have with your sisters... definitely something to cherish, as you clearly do.

    Thank you so much for sharing, and the picture of you three is so special!

    Julie

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  18. @Julie, thank you! I do cherish the relationship, very much. Thanks so much about the picture!

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