Sisterly Lessons

Things I learned from my sister this weekend. (She was in town for our 30^th high school reunion. And when I say 30^th, I really mean 10^th. Or 32^nd.)

1. When you find a wooden lemon/lime reamer at the Goodwill for 26 cents, you HAVE to have it. Apparently it’s a must have for every kitchen. Who knew? (Yes, I laughed out LOUD when she said reamer. I couldn’t help it.)

2. When cleaning bottles your brother gave you from an old digging site, use warm water and a small amount of uncooked rice. Shake it for a few minutes and VOILA! Clean bottles! (Well, cleaner, anyway.)

3. When going to yard sales, thrift stores AND the Goodwill, always take along your tape measure and a magnifying glass. Just in case. (And plenty of hand-sanitizer. I’m just sayin’.)

Oh, and the most important thing I’ve learned from her?

4. When that cruel hand of fate reaches down and rips your world apart and breaks your heart, you have to live. Let’s see, how did she put it?

“You know the sun comes up in the morning. You have to push aside the blankets and just get out of bed.”

And that is what she does. She handles grief like a pro, and not long after his funeral, she said this.

“D. I can’t change what happened, and I can’t bring him back. I know in my heart that I will see him again and I have to just put on foot in front of the other and keep living.”

Now, these several years later when we get together we laugh, we shop, we compare our tiny heart tattoos, we eat sour dough bread and Brie cheese, and we sit quietly thinking about our dear one. We talk about him and re-live the events of that fateful night often.

In our own way, it’s how we are keeping him alive.

Even if it’s only in our hearts.