Sisters ~ The Never Ending Bond....

One of the most difficult task in life, for me, is letting go.  I hold on to every word, every memory {the important ones}, the way someone smiles, something they might say ~ even when they are no longer here.  I think, so many times, I can hear them whisper words of encouragement and direction in my ear.  Play in my mind, what they wore.. how they stood.  It is one of the greatest things the good Lord above gave us, the ability to remember... reminisce... 

There would be the practice of learning to live with the memories; good and bad ones, but I wouldn't give up one single past memory for anything in the world.

This is our first family photo after moving from New York to Florida.  It was taken shortly after my father died.

 {L to R back row} Fred, Marry Ann, Mark

{L to R middle row} My grand parents Belia [granny] and Bill [pop], My mother Eneida, Gladys

{on the floor} Me ~ Joslinda

 I am working on a going away gift for my sister.  Photos of our younger sister, Gladys Marie, who passed away September 17, 1986.  She was only 17 years old when she died, Gladys would have been 42 on the 5th of March, 2011.  She has been gone 25 years now, yet it seems like just yesterday we were feeding the chickens on my parents property.   Watering the cows and tossing slop to the pigs. 

 As a small child, Gladys hated having her photo taken by men.  In fact, she did not like any other man except for my father.  If you had facial hair, forget it.. you would have never gotten close to her.  As Gladys got older, she became all legs, and skinny as ever.  My father would call her Droopy Drawers.  Nothing would fit her tight enough to stay on.  My grandmother, called Gladys Skinny Malinkie.

Their wasn't a person, who wasn't fond of Gladys.  Her smile was captivating, her personality was indescribable,  there was never a person she met that wasn't her friend, people just flocked to her energy.  The love of life glowed all around her.   

 When she was little, as she grew into her body, she often told me and Maryann "I'm not pretty like you guys" she would say "My hair is ugly, my teeth are ugly"  I remember like it was yesterday, we would tell her "You need to read the story of the Ugly Duckling then, cause you don't see yourself like we do.  You are very beautiful, you just have to look past the shell"

 {L to R} Gladys, Ann, Granny Bea [our grand mother}, Me [Joslinda}, and Marry Ann

 Even when she complained about the way she looked at herself, within seconds she was happy.  Laughing and joking. 

She grew into herself.  Had lots of friends.  Loved her nieces {Patricia, Tabitha, and Christina ~ she never new my youngest daughter Ashley or my brothers' daughter Anna} and her only nephew {my son James}.   

 {L to R}  Our brother Fred, Our Auntie Linda, Gladys, and our grand mother

 She was never married;  That would have been a breath taken wedding.  She never had any children; I would have loved the chance to see her as a mother.  She didn't have a job; although she would have been good at anything she done.  There is so much I wish.. but my biggest wish would be to have her and my father again.

 Her grades were awesome.  Even with the trials and tribulations teen age children have, you would see Gladys with that smile on her face.  The dimples letting you know she was as happy as anyone could be. 

I sure do miss Gladys, and I know my sister Marry Ann does as well.  I knew, that no matter how painful it is to relive the memories I have with Gladys,  making this going away gift for Marry Ann will mean just as much to her as it has to me.  She will be able to relive all the wonderful times that she shared with Gladys, just by glancing at the photos.  

Sisters are the greatest gift... No matter where I am in life or my sister is in distance;  We will always have each other.  Sisters ~ It's The Never Ending Bond.