Quiet Reflection

Just a little sister fun before last years Homecoming Dance

I like quiet, calm, uninterrupted quiet. You will not find this in my home early in the morning as my daughters prepare for school. The scene is more like two whirling tops spiraling through the bathroom, hallway, kitchen and dining room. Depending on the morning you will find either very happy whirling tops excited and prepared for the day, or cranky, tired unforgiving whirling tops ready to barrel down anything or anyone that gets in their way. There are some mornings when I am lucky enough to be heading out for my morning walk, but mornings like today I must stay through the entire thing taking deep breaths and longing for quiet. When my front door closes, it is just like the calm after a storm. The house is suddenly quiet and it is as if even the house lets out a calming breath. Being quiet is a big part of my day. I look forward to the time each day when I can sit and reflect, center myself and write.

 I enjoy the hustle and bustle of my girls, the stories about their day and even the way they interact with each other when they are having a day that they like each other. I know they love each other and from the outside looking in, I would say they are best friends, but there are days when there is no doubt what so ever that they DO NOT like each other. Those are the days when I especially long for quiet. Girl fights are not pleasant, even worse are girl fights between sisters. Sister fights are a no holds barred event where you know your opponents weaknesses and you attack with extreme force using every verbal advantage you have and if for some reason that does not hurt your sister enough, you request the random borrowed item be returned immediately.

 My sisters became a part of my life when I was in my early twenties, when my Mom married my Stepdad (who later adopted me). I never had the joy or stress of having my sister's part of my growing up years. Perhaps this is why watching my girls interact, I marvel at how they are together. I watch their love/hate relationship that has more love then hate, the moments when they seem almost like one person not two, because they are in unison in song or activity. I also marvel at their quick forgiveness of each other and the heat of their anger when one feels they have been wronged by the other. These are times when I realize what I must have missed. Oddly, I wonder if I would cower as much when they are in combat over Aly's mothering to much or Avery's slow methodical ways that drive the sane insane, if I had had the same opportunity to share life with a sister. Perhaps, I would be even less likely to long for quiet.

 In a few months, when Aly is away at college, there will be plenty of quiet here. We will all be longing for the white hot tempers, laughter and whirling tops. I think I can suck it up and deal with the commotion for now, as the saying goes, careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.