Ode to a sister!

My sister and I

   Sisters are great! And I am not just saying that because I have one or I am one. For a girl to have a sister is to have a confidante, a friend, an understanding soul, and someone who can tell you when you're wrong. Sisters share more than just blood connection. To be a sister to another woman is a privilege that many take for granted.

   When we found out that Monkey In-Waiting is going to be a boy I felt a bit of sadness. I do love my boys with all my heart, but I felt sadness for Girly Monkey because she will never have a sister. See, the thing is that we ever only wanted four kids, so after Monkey In-Waiting is born we are done having more kids. This means that there will never be another girl in this house until my boys start bringing their girlfriends and later wives into our house. This means that my daughter will miss out on having a sister just like I did.

On my wedding day

   There are many women who grew up with brothers, or didn't have a great relationship with their sisters that can't see what the big deal about sisters really is. I am not saying that having brothers or really close friends is bad, I am just stating that it's not the same as having a close bond with a sister.
I was almost 2 when my sister was born. It wasn't always a smooth transition from being an only child to having a little girl following me and trying to do the things I did. I often took it out on her. There were many times that I pulled her hair, bossed her around, even tried to pull her down the stairs when she dared to go in front of me. I hope she has forgiven me for all those times.

Here we are at the age of 6 and 4!

    But as the years passed she was also the person I could tell my deepest secrets to. She would often be the one that would know about a boy I liked, about troubles in school,my likes and dislikes, and even how unfair our parents were. We would often discuss intimate details like menstrual pads, intimate encounters with opposite sex, and even having a drink at a party. My sister knew more about me at any point in my life than my parents ever did.
   Growing up with her wasn't always easy. Since we were a bit different as children  we often fought. She liked to go out with friends before cleaning her half of the room, I liked to stay and clean before I went out. She liked to spend lots of money on nice clothes and make-up, I cared much less about appearance when I was young. She liked to be in the middle of happening things, I usually stood and watched from the sidelines. But through it all we remained close. We learned to respect our differences and even appreciate that we could get a different opinion from a sister. We could always count on each other's brutal honesty. That's what sisters do for each other.

Aunty and Girly Monkey.

This is the greatest aunty!

   Now as adults our schedules keep as apart for long periods of time. We live in different cities, separated by an hour's drive from each other. But we never stopped being close. We talk on the phone often and see each other when we can. Over the years my sister became a sister-in-law to my husband and an aunt to my Monkeys. One wonderful thing happened through these years, she also became close to Girly Monkey. It's not unusual to see the two of them sitting at a table conversing, or to see Girly Monkey take make-up lessons from her aunty, or to see them doodle together on a paper. It makes me feel really good that Girly Monkey will always have another woman in her life to guide her. If a time ever arises that she will not be able to confide in me, I would hope that she can confide in her Aunty. It never makes me jealous of their relationship, it rather gives me comfort to know that a woman as upstanding and virtuous as my sister might some day help to guide my daughter onto the right path. Maybe, if some day soon, my sister has a little girl of her own, Girly Monkey and her cousin would become close cousins for the lack of sisters. One thing is for sure, I will always encourage her to have a great relationship with her aunty, because let's face it, she is just GREAT!

Girly Monkey is lucky to have such great Aunty!