I love my sisters and . . . .

My former student, Robin Hanson, invited me to join the Facebook group "I love my sisters, and I can't imagine life without them." Well, Robin, I've avoided joining a lot of those Facebook groups cuz I've found that one thing usually leads to another.

Let's take that one "Are you related?" When I made the mistake of joining that one, it just led to more work. I had to figure out a bunch of people to click with whom I might be related.

Then, one of them---my sister Barbara, to be specific---received a message from Facebook that she might be related to me and that she should click on me and a bunch of other people to find out for herself.

The whole group thing all seemed a little circular to me. And, I got no answers on anyone other than family to whom I may be related.

All that said, I do say to Robin, "Amen."

The FB group title is true.

I cannot imagine life without Barbara and Laurie. Now, I don't know if they feel the same about me, and I can assure you they'll never let the world know if they do. But I don't have any problem telling all that I'm proud of my sisters, I love my sisters, and I cannot ever imagine life without them.

For that matter, I kinda like my brothers too.

Seems the old saying about picking our noses, picking our friends but not being able to pick our families is pretty darned true. Even though I never got a chance to pick out these siblings and even though we may disagree on issues from time to time, I'm pretty darned happy with my herd of sisters and my brothers.

We have common ground---that farm and that rural neighborhood near the Sandpoint Airport. We all enjoy a common bond of having to work hard for everything we've enjoyed or accomplished. And, we usually all share a mutual understanding of numerous events in this life. Our history and our parents did that for us.

On the other hand, all six of us possess aspects that make us as different as night and day. Our life journey did that for each of us. From that little farm on North Boyer, we all struck out to places either near or far, met people either very much like us or diametrically different from anyone we'd ever known, and, throughout the years, we all had unique experiences that would define our lives.

Those experiences and associations define us, for sure, but our common bond also makes us secretly proud of each sibling. We may never admit such a thing face to face, but we've all been known to brag to friends and anyone who will listen about individual family triumphs or achievements.

No, Robin, I'm not gonna join the Facebook group to let everyone know I love my sisters AND my brothers, but I'll sure do my best to show them respect, to understand them when they need understanding, to get past the pettiness that sometimes occurs among family relationships and to let 'em know, in my own way, that I appreciate everyone of them.

Look what you started, Robin. Being this nice to my siblings and so publicly---heck, they're all gonna think I've gone goofy on them.

Guess I'd better get my game face in gear for the next time I see one of them.