Sister, Sister

I only have one sibling. A sister who was born two years and two weeks before me. We’re both February babies, but different astrological signs: D is an Aquarius—logical, objective, independent; I’m a Pisces—emotional, empathetic, imaginative. This probably explains why we’re so different, yet so alike.

D is tall with red hair and blue eyes, like our dad. She’s easy-going and flexible, generous with her time and money, messy but effective, and very confident in herself and her decisions.

I, on the other hand, am average height with brown hair and hazel eye, like our mom. I’m more uptight and scheduled, guarded and frugal, neat and organized, and only appear confident (read: I hem and haw before I make any decision, and often second-guess afterward).

As different as we are, we’re also very similar in some ways.

We sound the same (this caused a lot of confusion for D’s high school boyfriend when he called her on our shared phone line🤭), share the same autoimmune conditions (Hashi’s and Sjögren’s, to name two), and deal with our aging parent the same way—with sarcasm and sass mixed with tenderness and compassion.

Growing up, D and I were pretty close. As close as sisters can be. We even stayed close during adolescence and early adulthood, when many siblings do nothing but fight.

Admittedly, there was a long span during which we were less close—but only because of the physical distance (I moved two states away) and the time-consuming demands of raising five athletic boys.

Now that we’re both empty nesters and caring for our aging parents together, we’ve grown closer again. And if I’m being honest, it’s my favorite part of this phase of life. We talk weekly—sometimes even daily—to collaborate, commiserate, and joke. It’s just like when we were teenagers, sharing a bathroom and a phone line.

Our parents may have given us some messed up genes (thanks for all those autoimmune diseases!), but they also gave us each other. And for that, I am forever grateful.