There is a freedom that comes with growing up as the only girl in the house. I didn’t have to share clothes, take turns with the girl toys, or wait for my sister to hang out with me when she moved up to high school. Having brothers is different, but we still did plenty of playing together. We all had legos (mine were the pink ones) and the GI Joes were right next to the Barbies some days.
But we did have a sister. We just never knew her. She passed away as a toddler before we came along. We’ve heard stories. We’ve seen pictures.
The things I couldn’t do with my sister are some of the things I’ve wished for. Like sharing clothes and having that big sister to talk with late at night when our parents have gone to bed.
One time I was overly excited to let my friend borrow clothes. Somehow she could squeeze into my smaller sized items and I thought that was fun.
As an adult, I’ve wondered even more, what would it be like to have her around?
I have to imagine it would be just like having a dear friend in your life…that person who knows you, knows your weaknesses, encourages your strengths, pushes you to be braver, pulls you into great adventures, and loves you all the time.
My sister may have gone before us, but one day we will see her.
And over the years, I’ve often thought of my friends as sisters. They know me. They walk through life with me. They fill a kind of hole where my sister would have been. And they become a part of our family.
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This is a Five Minute Friday post and part of my #write31days series on FREEdom.
This was so sad and so sweet Laura. I’m so glad I was you FMF neighbor today because it struck such a cord with me. I grew up with only one sister & I always felt this way about having a brother. When I was in college, my dad remarried and I gained 3 sisters and one brother. Sadly, Luke passed away 5 years after we met, but the short time we spent together is still etched in my heart. I miss him everyday and I wonder how close we would be today….what it would be like for my kids to have an “Uncle Luke.” Hopefully someday we will have the privilege of introducing each other to our siblings. God Bless you!
Wow. So good to hear your story too, Nichole. Thank you for sharing and I’m glad you were able to know Luke and have the gift of a brother for a time!
A nice way to remember your sister, sorry you never got to spend time with her. I often worry about my kids not having brothers and sisters as I grew up in a large family. My daughter says she can’t imagine having a sister. She is so loving and caring to her brother who has many challenges. I love that she is close to her cousins. My sister that is close in age to me, we travelled the globe together, so we get a kick out of seeing our girls being so close. I guess like you my daughter counts her friends and cousins as sisters and even though I have six sister I also have many more sisters amongst my friends, which is a glorious thing Laura.
It does make me wonder how she’d be and how life might look different with her still here. I imagine things like that…traveling together. But I’m so thankful to welcome friends into my life and adopt them as sisters. And brothers are a gift too. 🙂