Sometimes, many times honestly, I've held roles and was convinced I did not have grace for them, but there is one role that has never made me feel inadequate. Sister. I absolutely love being a sister to the human beings that are my siblings. I know I have divine grace to serve, love, support, learn from, root for, and exist in relationship to my brothers and sisters.
When I was a young girl, I was mean to my little brothers. (They called me Angelica, a reference to the antagonist on Nickelodeon's Rugrats.) Today, it's still one of my biggest regrets. If you are living at home with your siblings, cherish it. Cherish it even on the days when they are huge annoyances. Be kind to your brothers and sisters. Build them up. Affirm them. Take advantage of this special time in life.
If you live in the same town or in close proximity to your siblings, call them up. Make plans! Go see a movie. Have lunch. Hang out. Go for a walk. Have fun together. Talk to them. Pry. Get to know them better. Enjoy the company of your siblings, and show them the love that is unique to a sister.
My brothers and sisters are all six or more hours away. I realized that I never really appreciated the luxury of being able to yell from one room to the next to summons an annoyed Bubba or Isaiah. I never seized the opportunity to make plans with Ebone' when we were close enough to do so. I never exerted enough effort to talk to Tone' on a consistent basis and facilitate closeness although we lived far from one another.
Seeing them today isn't feasible, but it's possible. Thank God; it's possible! I can send each of them a text and still get a reply. I can video chat with them and see those beautiful/handsome faces. While I pray that we're all around long enough to see each other's grandchildren's grandchildren, I have to recognize their preciousness. What if it's not always this easy to satisfy homesickness for my siblings? The very thought brings tears to my eyes.
Life is short. It's unpredictable. We hope for sixty plus more years with our siblings, but there's no guarantee that we'll even have two. Give your brother/sister a hug today. Reach out. Send a text. Get them on the phone. Show love, dear sisters and brothers, to your sisters and brothers. Love your loved ones fiercely while they're still here to experience it.
