Little Women.

Who can sit and watch this movie and not walk away at the end without red swollen eyes and a sniffly nose? Someone who has sisters certainly could not. I have been blessed in life to have a pleathora of sisters. Sisters who steal clothes from eachother. Try out new workout videos together. Sit in the Jacuzzi for hours and hours together. Call eachother with our joys and triumphs, and our sadness and failures. Sisters who love eachother and want nothing but the best for eachother.
I sat here and balled my eyes out with Joe March as she said her final goodbye's to Beth. I thought of my sisters, and how I love each and every one of them for their unique personalities. Each with their own goals and aspirations. I thought of them and I felt blessed. But there was one particular Sister I had on my mind.
I thought of Lara and I cried. I think of Lara and I cry now. She is my older sister by 4 years, but we have been bonded all our lives. We shared a room as long as I can remember, and she has always been my best friend. I feel peace when I am with her, very similar to the peace I saw Joe feel when she was comforted by Beth. Her gentle, calm demeanor cannot help but have a soothing effect on those around her, and yet you can always sense her quiet strength and moral conviction.
I remember nights as a child (and even a teenager) when the noises outside would scare me to death, and I would swing down from my top bunk into her bed. I knew the comfort I needed to be able to fall asleep at night lay just below me, however I would need to bring my own blanket because she wasn't the best at sharing hers. Sometimes I think she really liked the company too, because when I would sleep in my own bed she would wake we up in the middle of the night with an urgent whisper "Sara! Sara!! Did you hear that??" I would reply in my sleepy voice, "NO". Then Lara would always retort with the same line "I heard something outside our window!" and within seconds I was swinging down from my top bunk to join her in her bed...shaking like a leaf. We would cuddle up close and begin discussing if we should go and get Mom and Dad. Usually we decided not to, but on those rare nights when we were sure there was danger lurking outside our window we fought over who would have to walk in front through the dark hallway to get to our parent's door.
As we have all grown I've developed closer relationships with my younger sisters and love them so much, but Lara is the one sister with whom I share all of my childhood memories. We continue forward as family urging eachother to be better and laughing at all of our mistakes. We long to all be together and Christmas to come is an event that we all discuss year round.
I must head off to my cozy bed, but I'll end with a quote from Joe, "Don't be silly! I could never love anyone more than I love my sisters." Amen to that.