sisters Archives - CONSIDER THIS with Annette Petrick

Backstory

Keep in touch! That’s the cardinal rule of sister relationships. It’s the responsibility conferred when friendship is offered or accepted. Contact is especially appreciated by friends who are aging and slowing down. You recognize how vulnerable your sister circle is as you watch it shrink.

The digital age offers so many opportunities for staying in touch; texts, e-mails, facetime, zoom, social media with its glorious array of catch-ups, and of course handwritten notes that speak from the heart.

I started thinking about the impact of sisters in my life, and this story developed.

Sisters

Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A sister is never farther away than needing her can reach.

She can be a blood relative . . . or a sister through marriage or someone who has become like a sister over time.

The women in your life are there to laugh with you and cry with you, to cheer when you rise and soften the blow when you fall – – – loving without judgment or envy or blame.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley 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. mothers, aunts, nieces, grandmothers – they all bless our life!
And as the years go by, that bond means even more. It becomes more precious each day. You can’t turn back the clock, but you can rewind it – with help from the sisters in your life.

Don’t take them for granted. Cherish them. Tell them how you feel about them and how they make you feel.

Don’t let another week go by without sharing with them how much you love them and appreciate them.

P.S. Loneliness becomes a major issue as the years pile up. Hearing from a sister is a joyful antidote. If your life is still busy, it might be tempting to just skip reaching out today. Your older sisters in particular are worth the effort to keep in touch. Think I’ll jot a note off right now. How about you?

[Show #319]

Backstory

When I began speaking in public, a mentor advised, “They may not remember who you were or what you said, but they’ll always remember how you made them feel.” That’s what my sister Karyn leaves behind. (Be sure to read the P.S. to this story.)

Click to listen or follow below to read.

My Sister – #503

My sister and I were having a discussion about what we wanted to leave for posterity; what we wanted people to remember about us when we’re gone. My sister is a very spiritual person; learned in religions of the world, yoga student, teacher of meditation and other skills for achieving tranquility and ease of well-being. I can imagine that she leaves many people with the tools to find serenity.

My sister has found that inner place for herself. Her daily ritual of meditation is often held in conference with nature. When she’s at the ocean, she ventures out in the darkness before sunrise, finds a comfortable place within eyesight of the ocean and lets the calming waves bring her into the new day. What joy she must achieve, for herself only, for this is a time of inner focus.

And the rest of her day is spent outward bound in the creativity of a writer, a genealogist, a grandmother, a gifted crafter and a would-be businesswoman whose strategic plan usually reverts back to meditation rather than achievement.

She is a full circle success, my sister. And her legacy will be the joy known by anyone who has made her acquaintance. You would remember her red hair, her welcoming smile, and that you felt instantly at ease in her presence.

Some of us leave monuments for posterity, others leave the gift of just having known them.

P.S.

You’ll find my sister, Karyn Romani, these days at The Positivity Tree. She has joined her daughter Ella Miller to become a cultivator of positivity rooted in optimism. The Positivity Tree is about being curious, empathetic, self-aware, balanced, less stressed and more appreciative in life. Together, they explore how to bring more optimism to work, home, family, relationships and life. It’s a beautiful place. https://www.thepositivitytree.com

[Show #503]