The Importance of Family
My sister and I spent last week together. There was an undescribable joy when she arrived and an even deeper, undescribable sadness when she left.
Last week was the first time in two years that we spent time together. She lives half way around the world. It’s expensive and time consuming to visit each other. We call and email and Skype, but it is not the same.
- Last week was light.
- Last week was bonding.
- Last week was silly and fun.
- Last week was loving.
- Last week was motivating.
- Last week was reminiscent.
I am not sure if my sister and I would have found each other if we weren’t sisters. I don’t know if we would have been friends. I think God gave her to me, gave us to each other.
6 Things I remember about growing up with her.
- She was the adventurous one.
- The line in the car that we couldn’t cross on the way to Florida.
- Crying so hard watching Terms of Endearment together that the couch shook.
- She spoiled every surprise because she was too excited to keep a secret.
- She was too emotional to say goodbye when I left for college, so she made me a cassette tape…and got choked up on tape.
- Laughing so hard in restaurants that we couldn’t order food. (that happened this trip too but now that we are grown ups, we didn’t start laughing until after we ordered)
We couldn’t be more different. When I told her about Project 333, she said, “I am thinking about it, but I’d need 32 purses and a pair of jeans.”
Today, I would choose her as my friend. I do choose her as my friend.
While I am so blessed to have Alyson as my sister, family is not always about the blood that runs through your veins. Maybe I was given to you and you were given to me. Maybe you would choose me as your friend, as your family.
I know that I choose you. Some of us have never met, but we choose to spend time with each other. This blog has become my home and you have become my family. That means you are stuck with me (and my sister).
P.S. If you requested a blog review from this post, I have your email and will be responding.
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I love your site. Great post, you and your sister are lucky (just have brothers but that’s fine too) Please feel free to comment on my new blog, Less Is The New More, url listed above. I so much value your feedback. Thanks, Karen
I have two sisters and while reading this I found myself nodding in agreement, laughing and tearing up. There is such an awesome bond that happens between sisters. I think often we don’t realize how amazing and strong it can be until we are older.
Thanks for sharing. Great post!
Amanda, My sister and I get closer every year. I think it takes the maturity of adulthood to really appreciate the importance of family. We had great times growing up, but weren’t nearly as close as we are now.
the feelings that you have for your sister are exactly what i share with my two grown daughters. i would choose them for friends any day! and i’m glad that you are now part of my ‘family’ as well!
xoxo. Thanks Gretchen.
I really enjoyed reading this post. It’s so heart-warming. I have an older sister, but she’s 17 years older than I am. Unfortunately I don’t have childhood memories with her as most people have with their siblings. However, I have a beautiful relationship with her now, and cherish our friendship very much. Thanks for such a wonderful post!
Paola, Wow 17 years is a big difference. I am sure she has had many important life lessons to share with you.
Girl you couldn’t have put it better!!!!!!!
Thanks for this blog!
Tammie, you are so welcome. Thanks for your gratitude.
Speechless! Of all my goodbye letters that I have gotten from you, you really kicked my butt on this one! I loved and will cherish the time you and I spent together! I am so proud to be your sister! I love you! Kisses to you sweet sister! ( I really have to go now, getting choked up)
I miss you.
You are so lucky to have a sister like that. I have two cousins that are like my sisters. And I count myself blessed to have them!
Thank you for the wonderful post. I don’t have a sister and can see I missed a whole lot that I now get from chosen sisters as an adult. It was a joy to read your words as you blessed your friendship here.
☮ ♥ Siggi in Downeast Maine
Siggi, You clearly didn’t need to grow up with a sister to appreciate the love of one. So glad you have “sisters” in your life now.
Awww I teared up reading this. I have one sister who’s only 1.5 years younger than me and we fought so much growing up, but I’m glad I have her now. And even though I can’t bear the thought of having another kid right now (currently with a 4 month old…), my experience and the ones you describe above make me feel like I *have* to give my daughter a sibling at some point!
Only children will have plenty of sisters and brothers in their lives too!
From the time that I was a baby, my extended family has met at my grandparent’s house for Sunday dinner. Cousins, aunts, uncles and relatives of all kinds would come together. We’d eat, talk, play… and yeah, somtimes we’d fight. When I was a teenaged I hated going. I wanted to be with friends. Other times I’d find it a chore to go because I wanted to just sit home and relax and not hang out with family. But now, as an adult, I realize the gift that those Sunday dinners have been to me. They’ve helped shape who I am and created bonds with family I’m sure I would have lost touch with years ago.
The crowd has changed over the years. Some family have passed on and some have moved far away, but we’ve also had new additions. My newborn son, Caelan, is the latest addition and I’m so happy that I have this tradition to share with him.
Thanks for this wonderful post and for reminding me of how important family is, even if we are different. I love your thought that even if we wouldn’t have been friends by choice, our family has been given to us as a gift.
Jason, What a great story. Your Sunday dinners sound amazing. Not just as an event, but the way they have become a cornerstone of your life. Caelan is a lucky little boy. Family and friends are the only gifts that matter.
This is such a touching post Courtney. I have a sister too. And although we are complete opposites, I wouldn’t trade her for the world. She one of the few people in this world that can read my thoughts (as I can read hers) after simply exchanging glances with one another.
It sounds like you and Alyson had an amazing week together. I’m so happy that you got to spend that time with her!
Jenny, It’s amazing what sisters can say with a look in the eye or kick in the shin.
Such a beautiful tribute to your sister! Its exactly how i feel about mine and the years she was overseas were traumatic. Now that shes back i love that theres someone who ALWAYS gets me and can finish my sentances. Nothing like a sister…
Carrie, So glad your sister is closer geographically. While I don’t know if my sister and I will ever live in the same country, I know that after this visit, we will visit more often. 2 years is too long!
Oh yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! And maybe some time… Mexico does have a wonderful sunset!
What a great post! I too am blessed with such a sister–and though we couldn’t be more different, we’re 11-1/2 months apart, we live less than a mile from each other, we show up to church and other places wearing the exact color schemes, we’ve bought our parents and others the same greeting cards, we were pregnant together, and we always know what the other is thinking. Oh, and we too had a ‘line’ in the car on the way to southern Illinois
She is a gift from God!!
Lisa – thinking about you and your sister wearing the same colors to church makes me smile!
I got choked up as I read this. I, too, am fortunate to have a sister who is also a dear friend. I don’t know as though our friendship would have developed if we weren’t sisters, but I am grateful it has and that we are! Thank you for creating this beautiful space.
I’ve mostly lost touch with my blood family, though I’ve fairly recently been in touch with a cousin I haven’t seen since I was little. She actually found me on the internet and contacted me.
My functional “family” tends to be by choice, consisting of a few very close friends.