Sisters
With the recent passing of a cherished brother-in-law, it got me thinking about my sisters and mum who are living thousands of miles away in South Africa. Plans to visit with them in 2021 have, of course, been put on hold … for who knows how long?
We grow up with siblings─in my case, two sisters─in the same family environment and yet, we turn out so differently. Different personalities, diverse likes and dislikes and ultimately, partners that are attuned to our personal traits and therefore, likely to be quite dissimilar to each of our choices. Of course, our social interactions and work environment play a part in how we mature and evolve. In the beginning though, we are unique regardless and it is the family unit that has kept us together or in some cases (!), caused us to leave and seek our own paths.
I look at the photograph of my sisters and I─Dirce, on my right and Elena on my left, in the red outfit─with me in the middle both literally and age-wise. This was taken a couple of years back, when we celebrated the joyous occasion of my nephew's wedding. It makes me smile and I am mesmerised by not only the actual image but of how, even the clothes we have chosen to wear for such an occasion says something about us. Now, I'm sounding Freudian! We had a great time though and that, in the end, is what is important.
For, our individuality defines us. It is a part of us … whether we like all aspects of who we are or not. We really should though. We should celebrate our uniqueness, as it can be a skillset and gives us motivation and purpose. Maybe that's something we should all commit to as having a belief in ourselves can certainly make life more enjoyable.
Although my sisters may be far away, they are in my heart, and often in my thoughts. We are of the same blood after all; a life force that pulses through us and binds us. So, here's to my sisters, and of course, and to our amazing mamma, Maria (Iucci), who created us.
"A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost." ─Marion C. Garretty
