She claims to have stopped enumerating the years after she turned 39. You're only as old as you feel makes a lot of sense to me. It's how I've tried to live my life - hanging on (with my fingertips, at times) to the energy and enthusiasm, tempering it with the comforting knowledge and experience garnered over the years.
Act as if you are 17 again just makes me anxious. I have no interest in going back to my teenage years. I'm happy to have left the angst and uncertainty and insecurities far behind me. Adulthood has suited me just fine.
Sister, on the other hand, has had a harder time. I'm sure 17 feels relatively uncomplicated for her.... if anything in her life can be said to be or have been uncomplicated. She's a survivor, a rationalist, a self-sufficient human being who has a harder time accepting help than anyone I've ever known. I finally hit her sweet spot with a Whole Foods after knee surgery delivery of ice cream, chocolate syrup, and vodka.
Of course, I only found out about the surgery after the fact. Did I mention that she doesn't like asking for help?
She's been the most entertaining person I know and the most aggravating. She's brilliant and can't seem to get out of her own way. She's demanding, insistent, and usually right when it comes to everything outside her family.
She's an activist, taking personal credit for the election of Andy Kim to the Senate (not much of an overstatement, actually), displaying anti-FFOTUS signs in her red neighborhood, flooding our siblings WhatsApp chat with gift links to the NYTimes' political screeds.
She's complicated and annoying and funny and probably the book-smartest of the three of us. Here's wishing that the world sends her peace and smiles and more world travels.... and that she comes to realize that her 70's might not be as scary as she imagines.
Happy Birthday!
Your younger sister and my older sister have a lot in common. I love her dearly but wish she could be moe open to help when needed. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteNina