Second Row, Piano Side: Sisters by Chance, Friends by Choice

Sisters by Chance, Best Friends by Choice

This is one of my favorite pictures because it portrays me as the kind, sweet big sister that I should have been.

I was 5 years old when my little sister was born. I loved her so much...at first. When I realized that my position in the family had changed...that is 5 years later another little girl came to steal my daddy's heart...well things became a little different.

Beverli was the good child, the sweet child, the never-did-anything-wrong child. She seldom remembers ever getting a spanking. While there was not a day in my life that I didn't get one!

I did my best to catch her doing something wrong, and when I did no one believed me! She was perfect. Do I sound bitter???

I'm not!!!

I'll let you in on a little secret...shhhhhhh...she could LIE like a rug. But she never got caught. Me...well I was so transparent. My mama would say, "Bonnie, I can read you like a book." I do declare that woman had eyes in the back of her head!

I picked on my sister endlessly, of which I am now ashamed of. I guess she grew tired of it and moved away and went to an out of state college. When she came home, she was still the queen. Yes, I was a jealous child and young adult.

All of that changed one day. She was still single at 30. I had two children. She was home for Christmas. She was alone and weepy. That's when I realized that we needed to get this out in the open once and for all.

Beverli had seen the world. She loved to travel and she had the time to do it. No kids...money...rich friends...

She longed to have what I had and I longed for the freedom that she enjoyed.

So one Christmas, we laid it all on the table. I said, "Let's call a truce! I love my children. Sure I'd love to travel, but I wouldn't trade what I have for anything and you wouldn't trade your freedom. So let's put this behind us."

And we did.

My parents sickness and death, taught me much...

Friends come and go...usually go...but

FAMILY IS FOREVER