Precious

This is me and my big sister.
I call her Precious.
It isn't just a silly bloggy alias that I use for her...
It is what I actually call her....
On the phone or the rare times I get to see her in person.
I have been calling her that since we were in our late teens
When people hear me call her that I know they think that it is sweet nickname.
But that is not exactly accurate.
It started out differently....
But first a little background
Precious and I are the only two girls in our family.
Two middle children sandwiched between two bookend boys.
We had a very typical sisterly love/hate relationship.
At times we were buddies
At times mortal enemies.
We are two very different people, my Precious and I.
I often tell people who don't know her that they should just think about my personality and then whatever is the opposite of that (both good and bad) is Precious.
At times that was a really good thing....and other times just as annoying as all get out.
As small children we played together pretty well and with the exception of having to share a bed
(She is a blanket hog and I am a kicker) we enjoyed being sisters.
Until the dreaded teen years.
Then I was the bratty little sister...
who kept staring at her.
"Mom she is staring at me!!"
I don't remember staring at her but if it bothered her that much I probably did it. Just to make her crazy.
Those were the years when we were not too close.
Then I grew up a little and she went to BYU for her freshman year and we began to see that maybe we really DID like each other.
I started jokingly calling her "Precious Pup" after the cartoon about the old granny who drove a motorcycle with a side car where her big dog would sit with a leather cap and goggles.
It was a little bit of a good natured dig. A inside tease that made us feel close without being sappy.
It eventually became just, "Precious" for short and it
stuck.
But after 48 years of having her for a sister it means exactly what it sounds like.
To me...
She is precious.
My only sister.
She possesses amazing capacity for love and generosity.
She is a loyal and true friend.
She is a protective ally.
She is an talented artist.
She is Precious.
And with every year that passes I understand that just a little bit more.
So on this her birthday, I just want to say,
I love you precious pup
And I always will.
(P.S. See the rabbit ears in the background? Those belong to my little baby brother. Always looking to squeeze into the party. But his post will be for another day.)