Hey Sister, Go Sister, Soul Sister, Go Sister

Sisters, I'm told, have special bonds. Like many others, I was not lucky enough to be blessed with biological sisters, so I have spent my life seeking my sistren.

My first sistren are by circumstance of birth: my cousins. On my mom's side, I am one of two granddaughters. My cousin was the first grandchild, so the role of big sister was, well, her birthright. And she was the coolest big sister ever, giving me my first fake ID at the tender age of six, if memory serves. On my dad's side, I have two older cousins and I was always awed by their grace.

The next sisters-by-chance came into my life as a toddler: friends from the neighborhood. There were three of us, one just a few houses down from mine, another around the corner, and the third a few blocks away. These were the sisters were there for me starting from at least as early as my 2nd birthday party (maybe earlier) and on.

Unfortunately, our move to California took me away from these surrogate sisters.

After the move, it became more difficult for me to make these sisterly bonds. My friends seemed to change from grade-to-grade throughout elementary, middle, and most of high school, although there were a few constants.

Come time for college, I thought I was destined to forge that sisterly bond with my roommate. And while she is still very much like a sister to me, she had already been there, done that with the whole Freshman experience and was gone before the year was even half over.

So I did what any ship without a rudder would do, but participate in a formalized mutual selection of sisterhood otherwise known as Panhellenic Rush. And I found a group of sisters with whom I shared a lot of good times. They were one of the main reasons I stayed in school for as long as I did.

But once I was dropped out from college and back home, I hooked back up with a few sisters from high school, one of which became my main sister in crime (i.e., shenanigans, not actual crime). She and I grew our sisterhood by two more shenanigan-seeking sisters whom we met at a bar. And with their preexisting sisterhoods, grew it even further. Along the way, we even gained a sister through an ex-boyfriend.

And that's about where a sisterhood was gilded. The core five of us all have our satellite sisters, some who have been around awhile, others who come and go as life happens.

No matter how gold or silver my sisters may be, it is they whom I am thankful for today. I would not be the woman I am today without them.

New Friends and Old Friends

Make new friends, but keep the old,

Those are silver, these are gold.

New-made friendships, like new wine,

Age will mellow and refine.

Friendships that have stood the test

time and change are surely best;

Brow may wrinkle, hair grow gray,

Friendship never knows decay.

For 'mid old friends tried and true,

Once more we our youth renew.

But old friends, alas may die,

New friends must their place supply.

Cherish friendship in your breast

New is good, but old is best;

Make new friends, but keep the old;

Those are silver, these are gold.

~Joseph Parry