Today I'm grateful for sisters - mine, my mom's, and the daughters of my sisters. We met for dinner tonight - one of my mom's two remaining sisters, her daughter (my funny, funny cousin), my two sisters, and every one of our daughters. All of Mom's girls haven't been together like that since the last family gathering at her house when the granddaughters were just little, certainly long before they grew up and scattered. Since Mom's gone, it was all the more special to have her sister with us. As often happens when actively looking at everyday blessings, I recognize things for which I've always been thankful in a more poignant light. In the presence of 10 women who share blood and familial love, I deeply appreciate what a gift sisters are.
I'm thankful to have grown up with two built-in friends, and I'm thankful they are still my friends. I spent the last two days with Older Sister, and we never ran out of things to talk about. Younger Sister came to dinner after having just flown back into town from New York. She was exhausted after a pressure-filled business trip and a long flight, but she came because we're sisters. Growing up, my sisters were my confidantes, my allies, my sounding board when our dad's discipline didn't feel fair, my playmates, and my idols. We shared clothes, pranks and secrets. How different and solitary my life would be if I didn't have these girls!
Having only one daughter (and so grateful that I have one), I admit that although I was often annoyed at Older Sister's girls' obnoxious silliness when they were together, I was probably also a bit jealous that there were so many of them and that they enjoyed each other so much. Now that they are grown up, they're just as close, and silliness still breaks out, but to witness how they still genuinely love being together added to my gratitude for sisters - and cousins, which are really sisters-once-removed, right? As each of Older Sister's daughters was invited to dinner, three said it would be hard to come due to distance, children to care for, tight budgets ... but as soon as one learned that another was planning to attend, in quick succession each of the others committed to coming and found a way to do it. It was heartwarming to visit with each individually and appreciate what lovely young women they are and to be happy for the bond they share.
Younger Sister's daughter said yes within minutes of being invited just a day in advance, and Daughter made arrangements for S-I-L to take Grandson for an outing tonight so she could be with us as well. I admit to being awed at how each of these girls made getting together a priority. They are wise enough to know that these are the moments that make life good.
Cousin said her Mum was "just all kinds of happy about this." Aunt got verklempt when we all sat down at the table together. After dinner, Cousin presented Sisters and I each a wrapped gift to remind us of our reunion: a blingy pen, which they didn't even realize was the most appropriate gift possible for three sisters who have a pen and paper fetish.
Dinner over and tabs paid, we still had things to say ... so we stood on the sidewalk, shivering in the cold, continuing one unfinished conversation that had been divided into two tables over dinner. We reminisced about our younger days and lamented that our memories were fading, and the people who could help us remember are gone. It came to me that memories become precious when they begin to escape us. Aunt couldn't remember the names of the family's work horses and wished she could ask her brother, which prompted a few of us to regret not having written such things down - and to resolve to start writing them now! So here are a few things I will be glad I wrote down, and so will my posterity, I'm quite sure.
No comments:
Post a Comment