This past week my baby sister gave birth to her first child. I say "baby sister". She's no baby. At 22 years old she's young woman and now a mother. So, now being the mother that she is and the young woman that she is, it's hard for me to grasp the fact that my baby sister is in fact old enough to be at the stage in life that she and I currently find herself. Not that she is incapable of being this age but that I am not so capable of understanding and maybe accepting that she is this age. Regardless, she is and now has a baby boy to raise of her own. This brings up an interesting point, as far as temporal oddities are interesting...
I was 13 when my sister was born. The birth of my sister was a life changing event for me. There are 2 lives: The life before her birth and the life after. I don't want to imply that one was better or more satisfying than the other but as far as lives go mine has been more...enriched...since she began her life. She, on the other hand, has only had one life with me as her brother. An oddity that I'm sure isn't very significant to her at all. It, to her, simply is a fact of her life...but not one of mine...because of the 2 lives thing.
My wife and I have 2 boys but this story really isn't about the boys or wives. We also have a daughter. My sister was about 8-10 years old when my first child was born and my daughter now is 10 years old as my sister has now had her first child. My oldest boy is about as old as I was when my sister was born, and I am about the same age as my mom when she gave birth to my sister. On another note, my brother was about the same age as my daughter is now when our baby sister was born....not to confuse you.
It's odd how all these events seem to have some sort of mathematical or temporal linkage between them. Maybe it's the clockwork behind the face of our existence or maybe it's just chance and luck. It is interesting at any rate and does make for blog material interesting or not.
Back to my sister...
She, without a doubt, will be an excellent mother to Ryne and a wife to Blake. How could I possible know that? I know her. I knew her before she was born and I talked to her while she was still in our mothers belly. I was there when they brought her home as a baby from the hospital. I fed her and changed her diapers. I played and sang to her. I scolded her when it was necessary. She has slept in my arms and curled up next to me on the couch. I know her and love her. As my parents and I have done for her, so shall she do for her children. So, how do I know that she will be excellent? She is my sister...my baby sister.
