Never Thought I'd See the Day

My sister's story is my sister's story, so I'm not going into a lot of detail here. But when I was 16 she wrote me a poem that called me -- 9 years her junior -- her "older/wiser sister" and for many years, I played that role reluctantly. Then she discovered a way of life that she greets with enthusiasm every day and now 17 years down this path, she is a woman I admire, relish spending time with and, if she weren't my sister, would be included in my chosen family within minutes of meeting her!

During the hard years, she allowed her house to become less and less of a home and ultimately, didn't want the family to see its decline. So for many, many years I didn't see the place she spent her nights. (I said that this way, because otherwise, she spent very little time surrounding by its walls.)

Last summer, she married. Over 50, she surprised us all with the act and her choice. Her taste in men to this point was less than stellar! But this guy? Wow! The love they share plus the common interests and a sense of life's true value make them the type of couple folks are drawn to.

This summer, they bought a house. At this moment, I'm sitting in their computer room (I never thought my aging hippie sister would own a computer) and listening to her on the phone as she deals with insurance personnel (Once upon a time, I could have only barely entertained the thought that she'd have anything to insure ever again). Yet, it's happening!

There are rooms here with furniture, shelves housing mutual and individual obsessions . . . uh, I'm supposed to call them "collections" . . . a brand new deck with a brand new grill (which we will commission for service this very night and my mouth is already watering) and actual growing trees and plants around every corner of this edifice.

My sister has a home.

I say, "I never thought I'd see the day" and yet, I knew she had it in her all along. Maybe, just maybe, though, it was the combination of what she had in her and what he had in him that God needed to make the creation of this home just right.

All I know is that each room -- including the one they've deemed mine -- has potential oozing out of each board. They've already planned parties in their minds, have rooms set aside for their outreach to others, and overall are like any newlyweds just starting out. Except they are smart enough to value each day . . . one day at a time.