Gratitude Day 96

Today I am grateful for

My sister Linda

Together since 21 September 1963

(her birthday),

with much water under the bridge,

I can truly say that I am thankful for my sister Linda.

Growing up, we played,

fought,

and each found our place.

I the rebel, she the perfectionist

who called me out on my crap

regularly

(and I didn’t like it, not one bit).

One night she peed in my trash can as a child while sleep-walking—

in her defense, my room was across the hall from the bathroom.

Note: Never wake up someone who is sleep-walking, especially suddenly… it’s not a good thing.

She was my shadow and sometimes I didn’t want a shadow – had plenty of my own.

She was just observing to learn what she shouldn’t do to stay in Mom and Dad’s good graces anyway (by her own admission).

But we managed to grow up in the same house without killing each other… even though I broke a platter over her head and once dropped her off uptown to walk home in the midst of a fight.

I can still remember my mom saying, “You need to get along, someday we won’t be here and all you girls will have are each other.”

That wisdom came true, eventually.

Then adulthood happened…

Our sister Dana got sick. We focused on her and not ourselves. She died.

Our parents became ill and we worked together to care for them. Focused on them and not ourselves.

After mom died, we banded together to help daddy. Again, focusing on him and not ourselves.

After daddy died, we worked together to settle the estate.

When Larry died, she supported me in numerous ways — does so to this day.

Now, I can look back and say thank-you from the bottom of my heart.

Linda:

Thank you for being you.

Thank you for serving as my conscience so many times.

Thank you for being my guide in so many ways.

Thank you for being my shadow because I had to watch what I was doing.

Thank you for your support, for being an immovable rock in the storms of life.

Thank you for being the true definition of a great sister.

I will step-up my sister game,

that’s a promise —

hopefully I will even remember to send a birthday card this year…

I love you more…

Lisa

PS— Please forgive me for all the crap…