Today is my eldest sister’s birthday. Although I’ve written frequently of my mother and father I’ve avoided writing much about my sisters or their families out of respect of their privacy but today I’ll go outside my self-imposed boundaries.
My sister is a truly magnificent human being. She really is the woman who has everything: beauty, brains, ability, courage, and pluck. She looks years younger than her actual age. She has a great capacity for joy and love.
She was the perfect baby and the perfect child. When we were kids she was always the best, brightest, and hardest working student in her class at school. Somewhere along the line (possibly a consequence of our father’s death) she gave up on perfection.
Through stubbornness, wit, and luck (and probably some prayer as well—at least from me auld mither and me) she has triumphed over some hard times. She and her husband have reared two beautiful, brainy, loving daughters.
She can be infuriating. She shares our father’s tremendous energy and urge to fill in every available moment. Those, combined with an indifference to time, mean that “I’ll be there in an hour” can mean anything from an hour to six hours, depending.
She was my first friend. Our closeness as children has diminished somewhat over the years but, from time to time, re-emerges untarnished by years or the sorrows that the years bring to all of us. I hope it will continue through whatever future years may bring us.
Happy birthday, dear sister!
David, I gave Ann a birthday card today. I carefully picked it out. It had a picture of a rose, creamy at the centers and pink at the edges unfolding and at that perfect stage that roses look their very best. Inside the message said. You are beautiful in so many ways. Happy Birthday. I don’t believe she knows how beautiful and inspiring she is and how wonderful she makes everyone feel who is around her.
aw shucks, thank you, dave—we’ll see you on Sunday around 2-3:00, give-or-take 1-to-6 hours!
I love you, too. yr sis and best friend, Ann