It took me many, many years and many, many tears to
understand that the relationship that I had with my sister would evolve into
the most important relationship of my life. Hallmark tells you; Conroy’s tells
you; your mama tells you…your sister is your best friend.
I am blessed in that I have two older sisters. I have a
different relationship with each of them and though it is hard to justify why I
am much closer with Claudia than I am with Marissa, I am left with the feeling
that it simply is the way life was meant to be.
A couple of weeks ago, I proposed to a friend of mine that
we should begin to write in a journal and let each other read it. He is an
older student from work who I have become friends with. As it had been nearly
five years since I had sat down to write for pleasure, I thought this journal
would serve as an opportunity for each of us to express ourselves freely,
without the worry of anyone ever critiquing our work. The goal was that he
would start it, hand it to me to read, and I would return the book with a piece
of my own writing included.
Weeks went by and neither one of us had written anything; he
seemed busy with school and work. I just couldn't find the motivation to write.
Until now.
Until Mother’s Day.
Until I began to think critically about my relationship with
my sissy, Claudia.
And so, instead of buying a cardigan—she loves cardigans,
instead of buying her a Subway gift card—she loves Subway, and instead of buying
her a nice bottle of wine—boy, does she love wine, I decided to use my
relationship with her as my motivation to write again.
To my sissy, Claudia, thank you so much for being my rock.
Thank you for always supporting every decision that I make, no matter how awful
the consequences oftentimes turn out to be. Thank you for helping me to guide
my children and for being there for them when it’s too much for them to reach
out to me. Thank you for making the choice to be in my life—I am sure over the
last 43 years I have given you enough reasons to run away from me!
They Didn't Ask
They didn't ask to be
sisters.
Creator simply saw a
way of putting twin hearts in the same universe at the same time of the same
mother,
They didn't ask to be
friends.
Rather, they found it
conveniently easy to be enemies—and as enemies the two of them found that birds
of the same feather will undoubtedly flock together.
They didn't ask to
share space.
The bedroom they
shared throughout their childhood went from birdcage to enchanted forest to
concert hall to study room all in one day.
While one wanted pink
walls, the other wanted green.
While one wanted
Culture Club posters, the other plastered “her” walls with Quiet Riot.
There was a time when
masking tape marked geographical territory…a measuring tape or yard stick
always did the trick!
They didn't ask to
raise children together.
When one had a child,
it was as if the child was born to two mothers.
Their children fight
like siblings cry together as siblings giggle to secret jokes under covers at
sleepovers, just as the sisters did when growing up.
They didn't ask to
grow up and be each other’s best friend.
Their garden was
named Argument, but what grew from it were flowers named Understanding,
Empathy, Love, Compassion, Companionship, Advice, and Wisdom. These beautiful
flowers weren't expected, but were welcomed and never taken for granted
because…
They didn't ask to be
sisters.
Creator simply saw a
way of putting twin hearts in the same universe at the same time of the same
mother.
Thank you, Creator,
for the gift of my sister!
