Love

My Mentor

My Big Sister

My sister Leslie taught me everything I need to know and she was only 6.

  • Share everything. She mostly did, I mostly didn’t…but she got punished anyway?
  • Play fair. Once again, she did….and again, I probably did not. Honestly, I cannot remember getting punished that much.  Leslie took all of it…whatever came her way.  I admit Mom & Dad…she took the heat for a lot of my wrong doings.
  • Don’t hit people. Our Irish “Grandpa Ward” was a cop in San Fran and boxed at night…we never really had to worry about this one.  We knew we had it in our blood if needed to defend ourselves, but she taught me how the art of communication was a better road.
  • Put things back where you found them.  Not only would Leslie teach me to put things back where we found them…she would have us organize the whole darn area that we found them in!
  • Clean up your own mess. As a babysitter, she left me with big shoes to fill in the neighborhood…she taught me to not only clean up after ourselves while sitting, but clean all the rooms, vacuum the house, dust, do their dishes..no wonder we were the most requested sitters on the block! Maybe $4-5 an hour?
  • Don’t take things that aren’t yours.  Leslie had 4 years solo with our parents…both who were extremely talented and creative. Leslie shared their gifts with me when I came into the world.
  • Draw, Paint, Sing, Dance….basically she showed me the ways to live a balanced life, yet work hard and play hard.
  • Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.  Leslie..I am sorry you had to go stand in the corner so many times for me when we were little.  I will always be in yours!
  • Flush. Two teenage girls sharing a bathroom…need I say more?

  • Take a nap every afternoon. This lesson came later in life.  She kept preaching it…it took 4 kids under the age of 7 before I really understood it.
  • When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together. Do I wish I lived closer to my sister to share life and raise our children together with our parents down the street…EVERYDAY!
  • And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned – the biggest word of all – LOOK.  She has been looking out for me since the day I was born.  So it is only fitting that today, on her birthday..I let her know that I see her, I hear her, I feel her, I miss her and I love her.

Happy Birthday to my “one and only” wonderful Leslie!

I love you big sis, I thank God everyday for the gift you have been to me.  

You have done good…real good.  Now let others look out for you.

A sister is a gift to the heart,
a friend to the spirit,
a golden thread to the meaning of life.
Isadora James