to nancy

to my sister nancy on her birthday:
today is the day. 
the start of you. 
nearly 28 years you've mentored me.
such a time span produced many moments for lesson learning. 
ever since i remember there was you.
you as a friend 
you as a teacher
you as my example
you as a trusted confidante
you as an occasional arch nemesis. 
you in all your beautiful qualities. 
no one has impacted my life the way you have. 

(photo cred: faun jackson of faundimages)

on today, your day, i'd like to thank you for a small list of impacts. 
to you i owe my fight.
i see your fight- i've seen it my whole life. 
the right kind of fight. 
a fight for all that's right. 
a fight i want.
thank you for teaching me the appropriate use of fighting.  

you're tutoring of a 4 year younger sibling taught me age knows no boundaries.
it's becauseof you i learned most everything as a child-because you challenged me to be better and do better at anything i tried.
thank you for teaching me may of the ways of childhood. 
(rollerblading, back-flipping, and cartwheeling- to name a few of the choices things you introduced me to). 

from you i've learned the relentless power of forgiveness.
you have given the benefit of the doubt over, and over, and over again- because you have, i think twice about not giving it.
because of you i choose to find forgiveness when it seems unforgiving.
i thank you for being so forgiving. 
thank you for showing me how to live life to the fullest-
with every experience you withhold nothing;
something i've envied in my often overly cautious living.
the art of adventure has always been your medium. 

when people say "they'd give you the shirt off their back."
that phrase was created as a descriptor for you. 
literally, more than once, you've given me the shirt off your back (not to mention all the figurative shirt giving you've done).
you're generosity is a trait i've always admired- 
you give, and give, and give.
relentlessly.
thank you for showing me the art of perfectly unselfish giving.

although i hate to admit it- 
thank you for teaching me about my weaknesses.you can literally get anything you want out of me- 
which has helped me come to terms with my weaknesses. 
which in turn has protected me from people that may use my weaknesses negatively against me.
thank you for helping me be better. 

a million lessons you've taught me. 
the kinds that can't be described. 
the ones i take with me every day. 
that i see myself use around others. 
that i learned because there's you. 
i can't help but often think of my sister, you, nancy.  
and i'm grateful. 
grateful for march 7th. 
because march 7th happened,
i've learned lessons i'd have never learned,
and each of the smallest moments of my days have been better.
happy birthday nancy.