When I was little, I had three older sisters.   My mother was busy as was my father.   My sisters were all different, but in large families the older children ‘parent’ the younger children. I did the same for my younger siblings including my younger sister, although she was next in line, so I can’t say I ever really ‘parented’ her.   We did a lot together as a family, and while my parents were the parents there were many times when I literally needed a hand to hold on to, that it would be an older sister helping me toddle along.  If I fell skating, it was likely one of my big sisters who picked me up.   If I wanted a book read to me, it was likely one of them that read it.  If I needed help, it was likely one of them that helped me.  Of course as we got older relationships changed, as they always do, and there have been times I have helped each of them.  However when I look at my life, I can see the impact of each of them on me.  I can see one’s artistic side, one’s athletic side, one’s creative side, and one’s writing skills in a lot of what I do.  Altogether the three of them have been good role models for me at various times of my life.  When children grow and leave the family house, it is as if they are setting off on a new trail through a field of waist high wheat. The advantage of having older siblings is that as you set off, you can see the paths they have taken up to that point.  That doesn’t mean you have to follow those paths, but at least you see where they have gone.  Sometimes you head toward one of their paths, and sometimes you head in exactly the opposite direction.  I can say that I had three strong role models, who I am still proud to say, “her, yeah,  that’s my sister, isn’t she something!”

© words by Dan DeMarle 2017