One of my earliest memories was of me standing in a crib in my parent’s bedroom while my sister sat on their bed. She and I were throwing popcorn at each other. I don’t know how old we were but it was waaaay back there. I also remember that we had Shetland ponies. Hers’ was named Icky and mine was named Ocky.
My sister and I are three days shy of a year apart. So every year we’re the same age for three days. I don’t know how she feels about it but I think It’s pretty cool.
It’s hard for me to frame up our relationship in words. I think sometimes what we have between us is in some very small way similar to what soldiers have between them after they have seen combat together. We haven’t necessarily been in anything life and death but we’ve seen some stuff together. It seems like in the early years, everything we did, we did together.
She’s in so many of my great memories. Like the time I hit her in the face with a change purse and gave her a bloody lip. Mom came to her cry, tended to her lip, and rather than spank me, just said “It’ll be okay, you just have chapped lips”. I still haven’t lived that down. Then there was the time she put her gum in my hair. That one got mom’s attention.
My uncle Roy would take us out to catch minnows & crawdads in a few if the local creeks & ponds. We would come home soaking wet & covered in grime. Those were the nights that we would sometimes get to stay the night at Aunt Mary & Uncle Roy’s house. It was always such a fun time. These memories are some of the best ones I have, and she’s in almost every one.
We were not always friends. Mom made us do the dishes together. She would always wash and I would always dry but that was only part of the story. We were masters at provoking one another. Sometimes mom would come into the kitchen and just sit at the table. Overseeing the argument and making sure everyone made it out alive.
When I think about the good things I’ve experienced and the rough spots I’ve been through in life, one of the few things I can say with certainty is I wasn’t by myself. She was with me. “We Know”. We know what happened. We lived the experience together. We know how each other feels.
Today is her birthday and her wedding anniversary. I just wanted to take a minute and tell the world how important she is to me. She is enthusiastic, friendly, gentle & caring with people. She reminds me a lot of my grandfather in that respect. She is more than just my sister, she’s also one of my closest friends. She has a winning personality and a generous heart. I admire her very much and in so many ways.
L.V.R. – I love you and want you to know how honored I am to be your brother and to share our unique connection.
Have the best Birthday & Anniversary ever!
I love you both very much and you both are very important to me. I haven’t always lived in the area so I missed out on a lot of you growing up. As do I for my younger sisters. They were so young when I got married. I love you and pray the very best for all of you.