Sister Talk

Sometimes, I forget how lucky I am to have family members I'm close to then, life happens and sends me a reminder. I'm the oldest of 10 siblings. Really! It's a blended family, many half-brothers and sisters but I love them all and, over time, I've come to see them as just brothers and sisters. So to go back to my thoughts, I'm the oldest of quite a large group of siblings and I'm usually the one to guide, advise, help out, pray for all the others. I'm sure they pray for me too but when it comes to life, I'm usually the one to dish out advice.  But from time to time, I get a reminder that we are all adults now and many of my sisters and brothers have developed their own views of the world, of life and may have a different perspective on things. It's nice to realize that.
Today, I was at the receiving end of the advice-giving. One of my younger sisters, who's usually not one to actually say that much about other people, had a real advice-giving, no-nonsense talk with me and I am so grateful. I'm so grateful that she was there to listen, to talk to, to answer questions and to offer advice. It's nice to not be the one thinking  about what could make things better for a change but, most of all, I felt so comforted by our conversation.  Listening to her express her views on issues we're facing, I realize that I now count one more ally in my corner, one more person who understands.  Even if we live much different lives, she understands enough to get my problems and she cuts me no slack either. "Stop trying so hard" she told me. "Vous n'etes pas sur la meme longueur d'ondes" she said again in French, replying to a comment I had made. And that expression means "You're not on the same wavelength" or again "you don't see eye to eye".  Hmm. When did my little sister get so wise?  She's not that little really. She's only 3 years younger than me but still... Apparently, she knows a little something about something. Even though I didn't feel our conversation was over, I was left with a smile after I hung up the phone. Why? Because I had just gotten some advice from my little sister, the same one who always calls on me to talk about school issues and work issues and life issues.  The same one who sometimes appears unsure or indecisive. She's much stronger than she looks and I was happy to find that out, even if it was at my own expenses.