Thursday, April 10, 2014

Happy Siblings Day! Who gets to make up these "National Days" anyway?

You know that one person in your life?
 
You know…..the person you have that if you somehow unexpectedly meet your Maker it’s an unspoken understanding that you can count on them to come to your house and get rid of anything that might be embarrassing or make your parents cry?  YEAH.  That one.  (Come on….you know there’s stuff.)

For me, that person is Baby Sister.  


Susan Sarandon had a quote in the movie ‘Shall We Dance’ that said:   

“We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet... I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness'.”

I think the same goes for siblings.  They have been one of the few that are a witness to your entire life.  

Those that know both Baby Sister and I personally can testify to the fact that you won’t find two people more opposite than us that came from the same parents both physically and in personality. 

She was born bald and turned into a blonde.  I came out with a head full of coal black hair. 

She measures over a half a foot taller than me.  I can’t even reach the top of my middle kitchen cabinet.

She is soft hearted, slow to anger, and always tries to see the good in people.  I’m more…..well, let’s just say I DO have a big heart….it’s just that sometimes you have to take a pick ax to the rock that’s formed around it. 

I remember our parents saying once about those pesky teenage years they would worry about Baby Sister getting into trouble by falling into the wrong crowd…..and they would worry about me leading the wrong crowd.  Yeah…….I get that.  Alas, we made it through mostly unscathed.

Whenever I have a big revelation in life or have quiet fears that are hard to express or just have something so flipping funny happen that I just have to share, you can pretty much guarantee that I’ve mentioned it to her.  Part of that’s because I know I can count on her to be honest in her opinions, but the other part is I know she’s one of my biggest cheerleaders and will be behind me no matter what.

We BOTH love to laugh…..in fact, we are known for being a little akin to the Salem Witches in that we rarely make it through a prayer before family dinner without finding something to laugh at.  And church??  Don’t get me started.  Something ALWAYS happens to set us off and we have to exert uber amounts of control to not embarrass our Grandmother. 

When I look back on my biggest moments thus far in life we were in most of them together.  The happy and the sad.  Weddings, funerals, divorce, hospital waiting rooms……and of course, her giving birth to the GoldenChild

Now, don’t misunderstand me.  Things aren’t always sunshine and rainbows.  Sisterhoods can be brutal too.  We know exactly what buttons to push to get a desired outcome. 

If you don’t understand how you can love someone so much it physically hurts but want to slap them silly at the same time…………..then you must not have grown up with a sibling of your own because that’s exactly how it is.

No matter the differences though, I am so thankful I get to call her mine.   It’s a lovely thing to have someone in your life who knows exactly what you’re thinking without having to say it.  Who with one look, you know they understand.  Someone who knows all of your faults but loves you anyways.

I will never forget her exact words to me when she called to say that our Mom was taken to the ER via ambulance: “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m all alone.  I need you to be here.”

Those words are what I think defines having a sibling. 

You go through the sad, happy, silly, funny, terrible times that life will inevitably bring you.  But because you have them, you never have to go through it alone.

You have a witness.  A friend.  Your very own personal Cheerleader. 


And of course………..someone to hide the embarrassing stuff.

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