Siblings are the ones with whom one walks a permanent journey

So often within families we consider and analyse spousal or partner relationships, as well as child parent bonds. Hardly any thought is given to the sibling kinship, even though these are the family members who might be around long after parental bonds cease.

I was reminded of this when a younger sibling shared her feelings of being blessed by having 8 siblings. Spread across the county and across the world, the siblings remain bonded despite a pandemic that has kept many of us physically apart. Social media regularly updates through messaging, photos, jokes, prayers, greetings, pleas, reminders and a myriad of other diamonds (sometimes rust) that travel through cyberspace.

The makeups and breakups, tense and emotional moments are all part of the journey. The knowledge that these are kin who need no explanation because there is a shared history and experience. As a child I envied the closeness of my aunts (though they fought and gossiped). Too soon my siblings and I are the aunts - and yes I know that we are envied by the next generation.