As many of you know if you’ve been keeping up with my blog, I’ve spent the last five days visiting my sister in Baltimore (hence the lack of blogging every day). But what can I say? When I’m with the sis, stopping to pull out my Mac and blog is the last thing on my mind. Rather, I take every minute that I’m with her to catch up on life and have “sister chats.” (That’s what we call them.) We update each other on boys, jobs/work and the latest gossip among many other things. You see, since we’re less than two years apart (she’s 21 and I’m 23), we act more like friends than sisters. We make fun of each other/tease each other/can get on each other’s nerves time to time but at the end of the day we are as close as two peas in a pod. And that right there is exactly why I love having a sister, and couldn’t imagine it any other way.
A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon this article in the New York Times called “Why Sisterly Chats Make People Happier.” Wow! Sisterly chats? It’s like this article is speaking to me. Anyway, the article discussed a study that found adolescents who have sisters are ultimately happier, less likely to feel lonely or down in the dumps. The main reason being? Women are more likely than boys to talk about and share their emotions.
The article really hit me hard this weekend, when I realized “What the hell would I do if I didn’t have a sister?” Really, when I thought about it she is the first person I go to when I really need someone. When I got my heart broken in college, I cried on her shoulder. When I got a job, she was the first person I called. And when I didn’t know what to do about my life/felt kind of lost, my sister was right there for advice. Whether I’m jumping for joy or find myself stuck in a sticky situation, she is my go-to person for confiding in.
Yesterday, it became very clear to me how lucky I am to have a sister like that. One of my male coworkers confessed some really tricky stuff he’s going through in life right now, and I was obviously there to listen to him/give him some advice. He then explained to me that he doesn’t have many people to talk about this kind of stuff with – not many close friends, no family members who’d understand and definitely no one at work. I felt terrible for him. If only he had a sister who’d understand I thought ’cause if I was going through something of that magnitude I think my sister would be the only one who’d understand/who I’d have the guts to tell. Well, her and a few of my closest friends.
So, after all is said and done, if you have a sister count yourself one lucky duckling. And if not, it’s OK to have a friend you call your sister or an aunt who you can tell anything to. Just make sure you have someone who you can share your downfalls/dreams/disasters with…judgement-free.
Do you have a sister(s)? Are you close with her/them? If not, do you have a friend who is a sister to you?
Amen to that!! I am SO SO SO close to my two sisters (We’re triplets) and I seriously do NOT know what I’d do without them. They are as much a part of me as I am a part of them. Though – we weren’t always this close or even realized what we had was so special until we were older, at least mid-to-late 20s (we’re 31 now). And now we cherish it and celebrate it like nobody’s business. I’m so glad that you do too with your sis. There’s nothing quite like the love of a sister, is there?
Wow triplets, what a special bond you have there! I’m glad you are close as well, there really is nothing like sisters!
I am very close to my sister although we weren’t always that way. We are two years apart and when we were in college there was a 3 year period where we didn’t speak. At all – even when we were both home for breaks.
It was horrible and killed my mother – now we talk every few days and I can’t imagine my life without her!
It can definitely go in phases Heather. There was a period in high school where the two of us fought constantly as well; now it’s much different, you kind of grow into it as you get older/become more mature. I’m glad you two worked it out : )
You and bubs of course 🙂 the two best sisters I have ever had! LOVE YA!
I have 3 older sisters! Unfortunately they were so much older than me that they were out of the house once I was little, but our family is so close that we see/speak regularly. Glad you had time to catch up with your sister! <3
You NEED to read this piece from the Globe and Mail. It was in the paper last month and I fell in love with it: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/family-and-relationships/sarah-hampson/soulmates-without-the-sex/article1759556/
Basically, it talks about the (non sexual) intimacy that we share with other people (in this case a woman and her best friend) and how that surpasses any other relationship.
What a great article Jen-so informative and interesting, thanks for sharing!