The Most Beautiful Laugh

I love my sister. She is 13 years older than me and today is her birthday.

I gave her a card that said "Happy 29th birthday" then inside it said "Aren't you underestimating yourself." She likes funny "dry humor" cards.

Sis left home at 18 -- I would have been five years old. I don't remember much about being home with her. I remember Daddy fighting with her boyfriend and soon to be husband. They eloped. I remember mama going to the grocery and leaving me with her (I didn't like that, I thought she was mean.) But, every picture of her at home after I was born -- she is holding me. She loved me.

Sis has had a rough go of it. She too married an alcoholic. But her alcoholic never changed. She admits her children were affected negatively by their childhood. She worries about them and how things will turn out for them. She is a GOOD mama.

After she left home, I cannot honestly say that I knew my sister UNTIL...I was in my late twenties and living with an abusive husband. My sister gave me strength to get out of that relationship. We began to talk. She became and is still now my best friend. I wish I had been older and been able to help her sooner. Soon after she rescued me from my relationship -- I supported her through her divorce and to freedom.

I would always joke that she is Daddy's favorite. I said this because living at home when she was gone from my life -- dealing with her own -- I watched my Daddy's face light up whenever we talked about her. I watched him worry about her and his grandbabies and I thought -- geez, he doesn't worry about me like that. But now that I am older and wiser I see that he is as worried about me and mine. But Daddy's favorite thing in the world is to hear her laugh. I believe it is one of my favorite things in the world too.

Some people giggle, some just grunt a little laugh, my sister laughs from the pit of her soul. It is a belly laugh, not an obnoxious loud laugh, but an infectious beautiful laugh that makes you smile and begin to giggle and then to laugh with her.

My sister is beautiful inside and out. I used to look at her pictures and think, wow she is pretty and wanted to be as pretty as her. I thought -- look at my pug little nose, she has Daddy's pretty straight perfect nose. She has blue eyes, I have brown eyes. I think she is beautiful. Inside she is caring and warm and as everyone that has experienced one -- she gives the second best hug in the world. Daddy's is the best.

I took her out Friday for her birthday. Everywhere we went, people seemed to be drawn to her. I think that is called charisma. Everyone that spoke with her (with the exception of the matronly grumpy librarian) seemed to smile and relax in her presence. At the end of the day when she left, I thought to myself how lucky I am to have such a great individual as a sister.

It is amazing with all the crap that she has put up with in her life that she has this beautiful laugh. Oh, how I love that laugh. Sometimes, I call her for no reason so I can just make her laugh. I know she needs to laugh more and I need to hear her laugh. It revives me.

I love you sis. Happy 53rd birthday.

NayNay