There was never a time when I didn’t have my sister in my life although she, being older, had four blissful years of peace before having to share her world with me.
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We had different personalities, but that has never stopped us being close. I’m incredibly proud of her. She is the cleverest person I know, and also the kindest and most generous. I envy her calm in times of crisis. We have never been competitive, possibly because of the age difference, or maybe because we are so different. She has always been supportive, which was why when I wanted to try horse riding she did it with me, even though she dislikes horses.
When she left home for university, I missed her horribly and it took me a while to adjust to the new shape of our family, only seeing her during holidays and occasional weekends. And then I left home too and discovered that an adult relationship with a sister can be even more rewarding. Friendships came and went, but my sister was always there and continued to be there for all life’s ups and downs. I knew that whatever I did, whatever decision I made, she would support me and vice versa. Now when we call each other, which is often, we’re usually on the phone for over an hour and no matter what we are talking about, there is always laughter. We still share family holidays and have spent numerous Christmases together (where she takes charge of the lunch with no outward appearance of stress).
Maybe it’s because of my relationship with my own sister that I developed a fascination for sister relationships in literature. From Noel Streatfield’s Ballet Shoes, and the bond between the three adopted sisters Pauline, Petrova and Posy, to Little Women and almost all of Jane Austen’s work, I have always loved reading about sisters. And not just stories of smooth, supportive relationships but those with bite and tang, like the two sisters from Taming of the Shrew (expertly retold in Anne Tyler’s Vinegar Girl), and Vianne and Isabelle from Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale.
What all these characters have in common is something I learned long ago. That life is infinitely more fun and interesting when shared with a sister. I feel so lucky to have mine.