The sibling bond – often overlooked, but potentially the longest-lasting of all, longer for many than the bond with your parents, your spouse, or children. Your siblings are frequently the ones who know you the deepest, and the only ones who can truly appreciate and understand both the triumphs and the hurts of your childhood. With luck, your siblings will be your companions throughout the journey of life. For those of us who don’t have any brothers or sisters, we have missed out on one of life’s fundamental connections. When I was growing up, I wanted a brother or sister so much, and looked for that connection with cousins and good friends. I know that we “only children” can perhaps glorify the sibling relationship, but I would much rather complain about a brother or sister than not have one at all.
A few days ago, lots of pictures of siblings turned up on Facebook in honor of something I had never heard of, but think is a great idea – National Sibling Day! Many people posted pictures of themselves with their brothers and sisters, sometimes from childhood, sometimes from young adulthood, and a few were, sadly, of siblings who had died too young and whom the poster wanted to pay tribute to.
I was looking through old family photos and was very happy to find that I had some great sibling pictures, going back even to one from the fourth generation. There are some of my mother and her sister, my father and his three brothers, my mother’s father and his two siblings, my father’s father with his brothers, and then of one of my great-grandmother with her siblings! Some of these brothers and sisters were lifelong best friends and confidants, others were more like rivals, but they remained always connected.
A few days ago, lots of pictures of siblings turned up on Facebook in honor of something I had never heard of, but think is a great idea – National Sibling Day! Many people posted pictures of themselves with their brothers and sisters, sometimes from childhood, sometimes from young adulthood, and a few were, sadly, of siblings who had died too young and whom the poster wanted to pay tribute to.
I was looking through old family photos and was very happy to find that I had some great sibling pictures, going back even to one from the fourth generation. There are some of my mother and her sister, my father and his three brothers, my mother’s father and his two siblings, my father’s father with his brothers, and then of one of my great-grandmother with her siblings! Some of these brothers and sisters were lifelong best friends and confidants, others were more like rivals, but they remained always connected.