Sibling rivalry is very common among brothers and sisters. I was lucky because I am 12 years younger than my closet sibling in age so I grew up basically like an only child.

Of course, I do have siblings. Two sisters and one brother. They are all in their 40’s, currently, until next year when my oldest sister turns 50. While at my sister’s birthday this past weekend, I started to think back on some of the memories I have from them:

My sister Donna invited me over to spend the night on many occasions. Having older siblings mean I also had an older niece who happened to be my age. We would play games late into the night keeping my sister and my brother in law up. She would always have slices of white bread, from her neighbors, for me because she knew I didn’t like wheat bread.

My sister Vicky and I would play tons of video games together. She was always there to help me with a flat tire or when my car battery died. She was the sibling who showed up at the hospital at 2 in the morning when I was bleeding from my tonsils stitches opening up. It was Vicky who gave me a wine cork when I was a kid and told me it would keep the monsters and nightmares away and I believed it.

My brother Eric had to deal with being the baby of the family and then 12 years later having a new baby brother. He would allow me to play with his Star Wars figures and read his comic books that he kept in pristine condition even though he knew I was careless and most lucky going to ruin them. It was my brother who rushed to my elementary school when my mom had forgotten it was the day we got out an hour early to rescue me and take me home. It was my brother and his friends who played shark with me in the pool until my eyes were red from all the underwater swimming.

I am sure I can come up with many more stories about my siblings including all four of us making a musical video singing MMMBop, the thousands of birthday party board games we played, and our family trips to Sanibel Island.

There are also tons of things my sisters and brothers have done through the years that have hurt my feelings. But, there is one thing I always remember, they are family. The hurt is the price I pay for loving them so much. Only people you truly love can hurt you and in the end it is worth it. The hurt is only a drop in bucket of a lifetime full of laughter, support and love.