"Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister"

"They say that no matter how old you become, when you are with your siblings, you revert back to childhood."  —Karen White

This could not be truer for me and my sisters. Yesterday on National Siblings Day, I was thinking about my relationship with my sisters and how different they are with each one and how different and yet how the same from when we were young. When we are together we fall into patterns from childhood that must make our parents and husbands and kids think we’re crazy and stuck in our childish ways.

I feel so blessed to have grown up with my three sisters. There was always someone to borrow clothes from (whether you asked permission, forgiveness or just took it off before they saw), someone to help with homework, someone to pick you up from marching band practice, someone to drive you and your first boyfriend to the mall or to movies so you didn’t have to go with a mom, someone to laugh and cry with, someone to pick on, and someone to protect you even if they were mad at you… The list goes on.

As a mom with an only child, I sometimes wonder what it will be like for him when he is older without siblings. As my siblings and I help each other navigate through childhood, motherhood, careers and aging parents, I am grateful that they are with me in this process.

I also have dear friends that I would consider “sister’s from another mister” that I could also never imagine life without. These friends have also been there through thick and thin and would loan me money, pick me up on the highway when my car blows up, cried and laughed with me. I treasure these women in my life as well. Maybe you have "chosen” family as well.

Maybe your siblings are your best friends, maybe you haven’t spoken to them in 20 years because of an old grudge, or maybe you don’t have “real” siblings, but if you do, think about reaching out today with the excuse of National Siblings Day- even just a hello. Who knows what could come of it?