Big Sisters

We start young. When my sister was about three and couldn't pronounce her name, so that people wouldn't keep questioning what she was saying, she started to just nudge me with her elbow so that I would say it for her. And to me, it was just a matter of course. It was my job. I was her big sister. I thought it was a special relationship that we had and it was in a way; but not as special as I thought. It's something that I suspect has been going on since the beginning of civilization (and maybe before). Big sisters help and love and care for little sisters.

My eyes were opened to this fact recently when two new grandsons were born.

Trey was born in Kentucky and his 3-year-old big sister adores him. Really. She just can't get enough of him. And sometimes she seems to think that she and her mom had this wonderful addition to the family together.

See what I mean?

Then I noticed the intensity of Anna's need to just hold her baby brother. And it's not just the holding that shows how much she loves and cares for him. Her mom says that when he cries, Anna tries to help figure out why. She's such a loving, helpful, responsible big sister!

I thought about pictures I'd recently noticed on my screen saver where Superbaby's mom was holding her baby brother and her baby sister. This was the first time she laid eyes on her 7-week-early baby sister.

She loved her younger siblings and they had her wrapped around their little fingers.

I thought of other instances in our family where there was an older sister and remembered the little girl at Ft. Benning GA who thought her younger brother was her sole responsibility. Really, I think she taught him to walk! She was the picture of patience and love and she was only a tiny little girl herself.

Here she is conducting the initial inspection.

Then the sense of responsibility began.

She taught him to walk and play.


And loved him always.

And he obliged by learning to do EVERYTHING that she did. Or at least he tried.

So there you have it. Proof positive. Being a big sister is in our genes.

And we wouldn't have it any other way.