The Sisterhood of the Traveling Kath

Valentine’s Day, having come and gone, makes you realize a couple of things. Specifically, that a corporate holiday is telling us when, how, and how much it costs to love someone; and that a great many people are very confused about “love.” I personally thank the gods that I don’t have to witness any direct male attempts to subdue my apparently uncontrollable feminine desires for chocolate, flowers, and jewelry.
I greatly prefer my realm of love—romanceless and authentic.
This leads me somehow to my point: I occasionally take stock of my assets. By assets, I don’t mean my cherished DVD collection or my irresistible charm. I mean things (people, in this case) that add value to my average existence.
Taking stock of one’s friends sounds kind of shallow at first, but it’s actually the opposite. I’m not sitting here laughing maniacally, basking in the glow of a million friends. I’m sitting here happily considering how lucky I am to have such nice people to fill the gaps that nice people are supposed to fill in life.
The specific group for this topic is: My Sisters. (Shown in order of appearance, more or less.)

My Old Lady/Twin Sister- Amy Louise

We spent many years, once upon a time, like an old silly married couple. With relocating and adolescence, we lost touch. We have recently re-touched and once we’re within a more reasonable visiting distance good times will be had. We have the balance between reminiscing (we met in 3rd or 4th grade), and pondering the present and future. Things are communicated via our ancient link and it’ll always be up and running. We have seen each other a grand total of 1 time in the last 7 or 8 years. But it’s as if we never lost a day. She’s someone else’s Old Lady now officially, but I was still there first.

My Past-Life Big Sister- Jane #1

(There’s more than one, so she gets a number. The Amy’s have them as well.) For Jane and I to have been actual siblings, there would have been some real funky genetic engineering and experimentation going on. She’s much nearer my grandparent’s age bracket than mine. But ask me if that has ever mattered. She’s been with me since high school and I can just about guarantee that she always will be whether it’s on this plain of existence or another. Time with Jane is always well spent, period. There are no variables there. We could be cleaning the sewers with a toothbrush and we would have a splendid time because every day I spend with Jane is a day I wouldn’t have traded for anything. I recommend that everyone have a Jane of their own, it’s like having a personal Yoda minus the pointy ears and the funny grammar.

My Brown Sister- Danielle (Homie)

Neighbors, to roommates, to family. She’s the kind of friend that everyone wishes they had. She takes care of you without being parental. She’s generous and giving when you don’t even know you need it. She’s there when you need her. She’s like a big waterfall of comfort. She’ll also laugh at your jokes. She makes the people around her feel special, and you can’t really ask for more than that from anyone. People have heard the phrase “Lord, help me be the person my dog thinks I am.” Well, there should be one that says “Lord, help me be the person Danielle thinks I am.”

My Crazy Sister- Kayla Mae (Peach)

Kayla has stuff. There is always something new happening in the world of the Kayla. She is the river, I am the tree. I stand and watch the river, amazed at all the directions it can take at once. I believe that because of this part of the Kayla-verse, she is also prepared to deal with my stuff. If I have stuff, Kayla is prepared. Let’s say I’m in a brawl—I could be going up against a 92 pound teenager who gives puppies to orphans for Christmas, or I could be going up against a 285 pound member of the Italian mafia—whatever my cause, Kayla’s got my back. She is all in. Once you get her, it’s all or nothing. Though we don’t share a bathroom any more, I’m happy to say that I’ve got myself a fully loaded Krazy Kayla to back me up.

My Best Girl- Audra Marie (Frodo)

She is the Frodo to my Sam. I am the Sam to her Frodo. We share one of the greatest bonds known to humanity—the bond that is absolutely and utterly unexplainable. On the surface, we’ve got about 3.2 things in common. Luckily, that’s all we need. But the lack of an obvious connection is a very important element in our story. We connect to make a whole. We are why god invented the teeter-totter. Yin and Yang learned its ways from us. Without Audra, I am a ball that won’t roll, I am a fork without a spoon, I am a chair with no cushion. A chair without a cushion can still be used as a chair, but what the hell’s the point? And what does she get from me? I fill the holes. Just as Frodo was the only one who could carry the Ring, Sam was the only one who could carry Frodo. Sure, she could make it to the fiery chasm without me, but there’s no way I’ll let her go alone.

My Wife- Lindsay (Weasel, member of the Trio)

Contrary to popular belief, Lindsay and I are not actually romantically linked. We are just madly in love with the idea of us. We have all BUT 3.2 things in common. You can appropriately sum us up through Netflix: You have 693 movies in common and 90% similarity with Lindsay! Have you ever had a conversation with someone in which you say “I didn’t think anyone else thought ______!” In our very first meetings we both said that numerous times. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to have another one of yourself, let me tell you, it’s pretty fun. It’s a rare and unique experience to come across that kind of thing outside of the SciFi channel. It’s a joy to be able to share your passion in life with someone who loves it just as much. It’s like discovering that someone from across the world has the same fingerprints as you do.

My Soul Sister- Amykins (Red, Granger, member of the Trio)

Of the 90% I have in common with Lindsay, there is a mathematically problematic different 90% that I have in common with Amy. It’s Trio math. There’s 200% to each of us apparently, and we share it in odd ways. We have the Koolaid of friendships. You need 3 things for Koolaid. Sugar, water, Koolaid powder. Mixed together it’s a magical drink. Out of all the people that I consider my siblings, Amy and I seem almost realistic. We were simply meant to be, and we are complimentary. There is a melding that is purely a natural occurrence. Think—chocolate and peanut butter. We bring out in each other what is hidden from the rest. She is my sunshine; the warm rays on my face after a cold wind. I am the Earth, Amy is my sun, and Lindsay is my moon.

My Little Sister- Katie (Niblet, Pip)

If there was ever a little sister that needed a big sister, it’s Katie. If there was ever a big sister in need of a Katie, it’s me. She is a complex machine in a tiny body, which works in an absurd unison with my very simple machine. We learn from each other, as sisters should. I have 7 ½ more years of experience being alive so I try to impart my wisdom when possible; and Katie, well she tends to tell me stuff I didn’t know that I didn’t know. There is something very important about our sistership. We pulled the universe aside and said “listen here! We ARE sisters, we didn’t need you to bring us forth from the same mother, we have chosen each other for these most important positions.” When presented with an opportunity to choose one’s family, I highly suggest you do so. It doesn’t happen every day. I just happened to get a 2-for-1 deal and got a Katie with a side of mom.

***This list certainly doesn’t contain all of my sisters over the years and the miles.
I’ve had many more. But these are the ones that have the biggest piece of the pie that is my world. (My next installment of reflections will have to do with moms and grandmoms.) ***