by Laura

What is it with sisters? I am the youngest of three (3) girls. I shared a room with one of them until the oldest went off to college. They made my life miserable. I grew up determined to be nothing like them yet here I am an adult and I cannot wait to see them, talk to them, pester them. When did this happen?!

The middle one and I are the ‘normal’ ones – we get along the best. My mother and the oldest are tight so don’t think I’m leaving her out. See there I go – feeling guilty for not letting you know she’s included too! Back in the day I would have done the Ross / Monica Geller fist-bump if you asked me about either of them. (If you don’t get this reference 1) how young are you? 2) go look up Friends fist bump)

Was it when we finally struck out on our own maybe? You can tell stories, but a sibling is someone who was stuck in that house with you for what felt like eternity (don’t remember how long Sunday afternoons were? UGH).

Yes, there are friends with whom you are closer than close, but a sister? She knows. She is the one who put masking tape on the floor outlining your bed, her bed, her closet door, your closet door so you wouldn’t touch her side; she is the one who made you sit in the middle of the back seat and then dig in your ear with her pinky nail; She is the one drove you back / forth to dance class; She is the one is chased you around the house until you tripped, flipped you over, pinned you down and spit in your open mouth while you screamed for help. These are a few of my old memories.

I have new memories too: letting me cry when I had a baby and was terrified of all the changes; letting me get angry when she made major life changes and I found out through via someone else’s social media; making up when the air was cleared; driving for hours back and forth to see me because I can offer them respite from their own lives; asking for my help (gasp!) in editing a resume. These are a few of my new memories.

They were together this weekend without me. My sister posted this meme.

Sigh. It was for the other sister, not me. I waited until I knew they were all together and I sent a group text, but I got nothing. How is that for a dig? Indifference! I got them back though by typing out the lyrics to Hello by Adele. Line by line. Then I waited until I knew they were all together again (GPS tracking is fantastic for sister stalking). I chatted them up via video and made my presence felt. We also discussed why FaceTime seems to enlarge ones nostrils and who does and doesn’t have double chins (really, they should add a filter or sometime to FaceTime so I don’t look so old).

I spent a great deal of time and energy devoted to not becoming like my sisters and I succeeded. Now I seem to be spending even more making sure we never get too far away from one another.