I am convinced that “sistering” should be a verb. It’s an activity if there ever was one. Here is how I would define it:
To sister: similar to mothering but with less authority and more sarcasm. One who sisters is less cautious and more honest than one who is simply acting as a friend.
To sister is to protect, to defend, to correct, to teach, to occasionally manipulate, to fully embrace even if you don’t always approve. To sister is to be insanely jealous from time to time but never without also being completely proud of and excited for the other. To sister is to compete, to annoy, to enjoy, to make laugh and to let cry.
This little guy made me a sister when I was three years and nine days old. I don’t remember a time when he wasn’t around.
I have never had a sister. But I have been well sistered by a few dear friends throughout the years. The friends that sister are the ones who tell you when there is something on your face. They tell you when you are acting like a fool. They know you well enough to know when not to speak and when to speak even though it’s going to make you mad. They know when you have a headache by the way you squint your eyes. They know how badly that other person’s flippant comment hurt. They won’t wait for you to admit it. They invite themselves over, and they eat your food and borrow your hairspray before you even know what they’re looking for. They may make fun of you, but you know you’re safe in their mocking, that they would take out anyone who took them seriously.
It’s a tough job. But somebody’s gotta do it.
I’ve had a few interesting conversations recently about birth order and also about the difference between sisters of sisters and sisters of only brothers. I’m one of those sisters of only a brother. Most of my close friends are sisters of only sisters. Only a few have sistered brothers, and only a very few of those have sistered only brothers.
Anyway, I’ve been thinking about it. And here are a few things I’ve learned from sistering a brother:
Being brothered is not as sentimental as being sistered, but it’s just as dear.
10 comments
Bonnie
July 1, 2015 at 11:34 pmCody,
Man, you really mined that sister/brother thing and came up with some awesome nuggets. You and your brother were mighty cute kids and just look at the people
you’ve become.
Bonnie
July 1, 2015 at 11:34 pmCody,
Man, you really mined that sister/brother thing and came up with some awesome nuggets. You and your brother were mighty cute kids and just look at the people
you’ve become.
Anne
July 1, 2015 at 11:53 pmCody, oh brother, this is a good one!!!You two are so lucky to have each other!!!
You are such a gifted writer!!!!
Anne
July 1, 2015 at 11:53 pmCody, oh brother, this is a good one!!!You two are so lucky to have each other!!!
You are such a gifted writer!!!!
Darcee
July 2, 2015 at 3:46 pm2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12 totally scream Hunter.
Thank you for sistering him SO well! Getting to see little snippets of you in him makes me not want to karate-chop him to the face so often!
Cody
July 3, 2015 at 2:32 amAnd 15! Maybe not if you date him but certainly if you sister him 🙂
Darcee
July 2, 2015 at 3:46 pm2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12 totally scream Hunter.
Thank you for sistering him SO well! Getting to see little snippets of you in him makes me not want to karate-chop him to the face so often!
Cody
July 3, 2015 at 2:32 amAnd 15! Maybe not if you date him but certainly if you sister him 🙂
Lindsee
July 21, 2015 at 2:26 pmI just went on a “binge read” and finally made it to this one. LOVE! And YES! I could not have said it better myself. Sistering (which autocorrect changed to fostering which also feels appropriate) is all these things and then some. I’m so glad I have a friend that gets this with me! You’re the best!
Lindsee
July 21, 2015 at 2:26 pmI just went on a “binge read” and finally made it to this one. LOVE! And YES! I could not have said it better myself. Sistering (which autocorrect changed to fostering which also feels appropriate) is all these things and then some. I’m so glad I have a friend that gets this with me! You’re the best!