Sisters

My Mom sent this email to me today, and as with most chain messages, it tells you to send it on to people who mean something to you. I figured, given the context of the message, who better to send this to than all of the wonderful friends and family I have in blog-land. So, read and enjoy....and have a fantastic weekend. (We're looking forward to 100+ weather all weekend....SWEET!)

SISTERS
A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day,
drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As
they talked about life, about marriage, about the
responsibilities of life and the obligations of
adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her
glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance
upon her daughter. "Don't forget your Sisters," she
advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her
glass.

"They'll be more important as you get older. No matter
how much you love your husband, no matter how much you
love the children you may have, you are still going to
need Sisters. Remember to go places wit h them now and
then; do things with them. "Remember that 'Sisters'
means ALL the women... your girlfriends, your
daughters, and all your other women relatives too.
"You'll need other women. Women always do."

'What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman
thought. 'Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I
just joined the
couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness
sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we
may start will be all I need to make my life
worthwhile!'

But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with
her Sisters and made more women friends each year. As
the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually
came to understand that her Mom really knew what she
was talking about. As time and nature work their
changes and their mysteries upon a woman, Sisters are
the mainstays of her life.

After more than 60 years of living in this world, here
is what I've learned, THIS SAYS IT ALL:
Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.

BUT........

Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how
many miles are between you.

A girl friend is never farther away than needing her
can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you
have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life
will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying
for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf,
and waiting with open arms at the valley's end

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk
beside you. Or come in and carry you out. Girlfriends,
daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters,
sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties,
nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our
life! The world wouldn't be the same without women,
and neither would I. When we began this adventure
called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible
joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how
much we would need each other. Every day, we need each
other still.