Tag Archives: sisters

Sisters

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I have no natural-born sisters.  But sisters at heart – I have dozens!

A sister to me is a girlfriend whom I love, who loves me back, no matter what.  If I hurt her or if she hurts me, we forgive each other and carry on.

A sister revels in your successes and cries with you when you are sad.  She wants the best for you and will defend you to the death.

A sister believes the best of you and supports you in your efforts.  No one enjoys your good times more than she does or laughs louder at your jokes.  She also points out your mistakes and loves you through them.

A sister is a soulmate in many ways.  She shares your secrets and confidences.  She knows your likes and dislikes and can often predict what you will order at a restaurant.

I have such sisters in my Quilting Bee.  We have known each other for years and yet never get tired of each others’ company.  We often comment how we all feel the need to get together more often than we do because we miss each other when we are apart.

We give each other good advice and not just about quilting.  About everything really – cooking, entertaining, grandparenting, decorating, car repair, computing, marriage, etc.  I learn something every time we are together.

Our group is very eclectic and economically diverse, but you would never know it.  You’d think we were all from the same family by the amount of love in the room.

In all the years I have been a part of this group, I have never heard a harsh word against anyone.  There are no cliques or little gangs amongst us.  And I believe the only curse word I ever heard was said by me in a frustrating sewing moment.  (I know!  I’m still sorry!)

This group is so special to me.  I knew I had to be a part of them the moment I first met them.  It’s a good thing they turned out to be quilters and not miners, because I would be deep in the mines right now.

These dear sisters share everything – no holding back.  They will give anything that is needed – ideas, knowledge, tools, patterns, fabric, support, hugs.  They will sit beside you, go with you, stand behind you, hold your hand and pat your back.  I have seen them make meals, finish others’ quilts, clean a house, drive a friend, pick up a family member and babysit a dog.

And talk about huggers!  These gals are the best huggers in the world!  I can always count on getting my quota of hugs on Bee day.  I always feel so warm and loved.

My quilting sisters set the bar high for kindness and goodness.  They make me a better person by just being around them.  How could I not be a better me when surrounded by my mentors of such high caliber?  I hope to be just like each one of them when I grow up.

These sisters of mine are top-notch quilters, too.  How lucky am I to have the best teachers to guide me?  They challenge me gently to constantly improve my skills and to never accept less than my best from myself.

I dearly love my sisters and know they dearly love me.  I count the days until we are together again.  We will greet each other with hugs and smiles.  We will laugh, talk, share stories, show our quilting projects, eat and continue on with more of the same.  It never gets old.

We can’t get enough of each other.  My sisters and me.

A Look At A Book 3

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“14 COWS FOR AMERICA”                                                                                                                                                                                                           “It is June of 2002, and a very unusual ceremony begins in a far-flung village in western Kenya. An American diplomat is surrounded by hundreds of Maasai people. A gift is about to be bestowed on the men, women, and children of America, and he is there to accept it. The gift is as unsought and unexpected as it is extraordinary.

A mere nine months have passed since the September 11 attacks and hearts are raw. Tears flow freely from American and Maasai alike as these legendary warriors offer their gift to a grieving people half a world away.”

The Maasai’s profound gift of hope and friendship? 14 cows! To the Maasai, their cows are everything. They sing to them. They give them names. They shelter the young ones in their homes. Without the herd, the tribe would likely starve. Their cows are life itself.

When one of their own, Kimeli Naiyomah, returns home from New York, where he is studying to become a doctor, the tribe hears of the great loss and suffering of the American people. America has become his second home and he desperately wants to do something to help. Remembering his childhood teaching of sacrifice, “TO HEAL A SORROWING HEART, GIVE SOMETHING THAT IS DEAR TO YOUR OWN,” he offers his only cow to take away some of the sadness from American hearts.

After hearing his story and seeing his tears, Kimeli’s tribe follows suit and offers up their own precious cows, 14 in all.

The sacred, healing cows will never be slaughtered. They remain in the care of the Maasai and have increased in number to more than 35. They continue to be a symbol of hope from the Maasai to their brothers and sisters in America. The Maasai wish is that every time Americans hear this story of the 14 cows, they will find a measure of comfort and peace.

What a fantastic book this is! And what a wonderful way to teach children how to respond to suffering. It’s never easy and especially with little folks, we tend to avoid the tough stuff. This book is a big help.

I tear up every time I read the last page, which shows a close-up of a Maasai child’s face, with the Twin Towers reflected in one eye. The final sentence reads, “Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort.” I think that says it all!