Today, November 10, is my only sister’s birthday.
Happy Birthday to my excellent, five-year-older sister, Ellen!
This is the first song I can remember encountering — when Ellen and I were both kids — about sisters.
(“Sisters” from the movie White Christmas found here on YouTube)
A lot of those lyrics may not apply, but the love and protective fierceness do. If you mess with me, lord help you! You will have to answer to my sister, Ellen.
Here’s a song I know Ellen would appreciate. It’s from Wicked, a musical she introduced to me and to my son Aaron.
(“For Good” from Wicked found here on YouTube)
Ellen is more of an extrovert than I am, and her style is to involve the people she loves in the things that she loves. So Aaron and I have both seen Wicked with Ellen and my wonderful sister-in-law, Linda. (We’ve also seen Les Miserables with them, but I’m not immediately aware of a song from that score that would apply, are you?)
I’ve seen a lot of things with — and thanks to — Ellen.
Yesterday, when I was on my Sunday walk, I saw many things that reminded me of her, including these:
We both grew up in the same nest, on the North Shore of Boston, in a house that was on a
… the local term for a cul de sac,or a street that has no outlet.
My older sister has always looked out for me.
Ellen appreciates beauty in nature and is an excellent photographer.
No matter where she’s lived, there’s always a place for me to sit and relax and just be, with her.
I’m not scared, when my sister is around.
Ellen has always understood and left room for my love for cats (even though she is very different from me). One way we are not different is this: we both love to Swing Dance (so I’m glad there’s an Area for Swing in that photo, above). (We both love puns, too.)
Ellen has a big heart. She doesn’t express her feelings the way I do, but her love always shows through.
Whenever I saw natural beauty yesterday, I thought of Ellen.
Ellen is great at connecting with people, in her work and everywhere.
No matter how confused I get,
… not knowing which direction to turn, Ellen helps guide me.
Even when I’ve looked like this:
… Ellen has stayed at my side, always …
… when I’ve needed her.
When we were growing up, and I made it to …
… five years after Ellen, the teachers there wondered if I would be as wonderful as she was. We were very different and — I hope — appreciated for our own strengths.
More natural beauty, from yesterday:
…which all reminded me of Ellen, especially since she has always wanted to live near water.
That image reminded me of the losses we’ve shared together (including both of our late parents).
Let’s face it, everything reminded me of Ellen, yesterday. That’s what happens when you share so much with an incredible sister like her. Here are some photos of gifts I might give her:
…. that I know she would appreciate.
I’ve always looked up to Ellen. And here’s the last photo I took, yesterday, thinking of her:
Now I’m going to look for one more picture, from ONE OF THE TWO RED SOX WORLD SERIES GAMES WE’VE ATTENDED TOGETHER AT FENWAY PARK (excuse me for shouting, but Ellen would understand).
Actually, it’s taking me a while to find that image from October 2013. Here’s something I found in my WordPress Media Library, in the meantime:
I found the photo I was looking for!
That television screen-capture — from the 2013 Word Series game Ellen and I attended — first appeared in this post,* just about a year ago. I see several familiar faces there, including one I love very much.
Happy Birthday, Ellen!
And many, many thanks to everybody reading today.
* Actually, that photo didn’t appear in that post. It appeared here. But I’m glad I linked to that report about the World Series game I shared, with my sister, Ellen.