On siblings

I wrote this a couple of days ago for my own blog, but decided I should post it here too, since it’s about the power of family.

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We sat on the couches in my orange living room, catching up on the months that had passed since we saw each other last. Soon the conversation turned personal. Soon after that, tears moistened eyes and potential sobs choked words.

Things can be hard, especially when this happens and this happens and that happens.

I know, honey. Boy. Do I know.

I keep listening and suddenly it dawns on me: He is just like me. He reacts just like me. He forgives and loves and treats and adores and hopes just like me.

He is my brother. We are siblings. This is what that means.

At times, I angrily inhaled, brows furrowed, took on the role of a Mama Bear. I wanted to jump up and hug him and shove anyone who hurt him out of the cave.

Sister Bears. We can be pretty strong, too.

*****

There is something amazing happening out there on the big, wide Internet.

Nie is a blogger who is known throughout the land as the writer of the NieNie Dialogues. Nie’s real name is Stephanie. She has an impeccably handsome husband and four impeccably adorable kids.  She is impeccably beautiful herself, and spend five minutes on her site and you will see that she is an impeccably amazing mother.

Almost a month ago, Stephanie and her husband were in a plane crash. The story involves a pilot who died, skin graft surgeries, burns that cover majorities of bodies, forced comas, hospital bills that will reach the millions…and of course those four young kids who are suddenly without their adoring parents.

Stephanie’s army of sisters have stepped in. Courtney runs her own blog and has switched it over to keeping Stephanie’s hordes of fans updated through stories and pictures and subsequently, has been inspiring auctions and fundraisers. Oh yeah…AND she is caring after the three oldest kids. Lucy is taking care of the toddler. Suze and Megan answer the loads of emails they get from thousands of inquiring readers, Lisa is heading up a book project, Katy does the laundry and school stuff, Page grocery shops.

It’s easy to hear this story and feel so sorry for the kids, for the parents, for the siblings, for the grandparents. I did. But then I read this, and the sympathy morphed into awe, and then a shared sort of pride.

They are sisters. They are siblings. This is what that means.

“Where is the tragedy here?” Courtney asks. “I’m starting to believe there is no such thing as tragedy. Only opportunity for growth.”

There is such a thing as tragedy, and this could have easily been it. In my mind, this would have been a huge tragedy if it happened without the community. The net that has caught these kids, that will continue to care for them, that will raise the money needed to care for their parents, that has turned the tide on the awful, painful events and will make good from them.

Most of the newspapers and TV anchors who are covering this are impressed by the love of the blog world. Yes, it is impressive. However, I look at Nie’s Sister Bears and am reminded of the power of sharing blood.

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Also posted at the lovely ride.