Q. Do you understand the joys of an older sister?
A. My Father's two sisters
(For Lent, I've decided to write 40 posts about people I love / made me who I am / thankful to know / appreciate)
My Dad has two olders sisters: Katie and Margie.
I know, from great experience, that an older sister is a huge wealth of information and guidence.
Usually the info isn't requested.
Thankfully, the advice comes from areas of expertise not just little known by us younger brothers - but from areas completely off our radar.
I've had the pleasure see my Dad's sisters give him advice.
It's fun to see my Dad squirm...
Fun to know that I have more years to expect these situations from my beautiful sister.
Margie lives out in California... I can't wait to see her this August at one of our great family weddings. These weddings have become the defacto reunion for my Dad's side of the family... Sadly, I fear that funerals may soon replace these because
a) nobody more can get married
b) our mortality
Katie, I've spent a considerable more about of time with thanks to her recently living about three hours south of here. The first memories of Thanksgiving were our trip down to Peoria to see them. Sleeping on the futon. Worshiping their cable television. Trying to learn from Katie's husband: my Uncle Ted. (Uncle Ted is a retired professor of philosophy of Bradley University - I regret that they moved to the Pacific Northwest when I finally became educated enough to debate with him)
I might have sold my Father's brothers short yesterday - there's a very long fight I've had with them in which I struggle to maintain a truce. Sadly, I don't understand the dynamic between brother to brother the way I know the dynamic between younger brother and older sister...
