I Choose You

"A best friend is a sister that destiny forgot to give you." ~author Unknown

I grew up without the joy that comes from having biological sisters, so as a mother I've thoroughly enjoyed experiencing the tight bond shared with my daughters. From the moment my little one was born, her older sister was completely captivated by her. That closeness grew strong over the years, the two of them often inseparable. They even have their own "twin speak" (...they are Irish twins, born ten months apart), and it is fascinating to listen to. I admit, I've been a bit envious of their unique relationship, which may be why the Universe saw fit to provide me with something similar.

I have some incredible female friends, all of whom I consider a blessing. Friendship, however, is not the right word for the bond I share with my Ya-Ya's, i.e. the sisters of my heart. It's probably a good thing these ladies aren't my sisters by blood, as there are fifteen of them! Can you imagine? My father would have had to build himself a hidden, private bathroom or do his business in the woods...not to mention the fortune and grey hairs we would have cost him! That's a whole boatload of estrogen for one man to take!

What sets this group of women apart from my friends category? These are the ladies who from the moment we met made perfect sense in my life. It makes me smile typing that because we are a very diverse group and from the outside it might look like we don't belong together at all. There has never been a doubt in my mind, however, that we absolutely do. My sisters are the ones I share all of my troubles with, although being spread out across the country sometimes makes that difficult. I know that no matter what I tell them, their love for me will never waver. They won't judge me, harm me in any way, and they'd be the first one to kick ass if someone else did. They are the ladies I'd drop anything for if they needed me, and vice versa. They are my center when I veer off my path, my laughter when all I want to do is cry, and my light when I get afraid in the dark. We talk about anything and everything (...but mostly men. No, girls never grow out of talking about boys, in case you were wondering). My sisters won't hesitate to call me on my shit, but they'll also be the first ones on the scene with a bottle of Gorilla glue and rolls of duct tape to put me back together when I'm broken. I don't even know who'd I would have grown up to be without them. Today, I am happy and so very grateful for all of my sisters, who claim me as their own. I love you. I choose you forever...pinky swear!