BROTHERS AND SISTERS

As the youngest boy in a family of seven with only one younger sister, I have always felt that the strongest link in my life is the support of my siblings. Brought up by parents whose commitment to the welfare and success of their children stood above all else, and who passed on a strong sense of family unity and commitment among us all, these feelings have never faltered even after the passage of many decades.

Whenever I reflect on the meaning of my family to me, I invariably recall the unforgettable words of Clara Ortega:

“To the outside world we all grow old, but not to brothers and sisters.
We know each other as we always were, we know each other's hearts.
We share private family jokes.
We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys.
We live outside the touch of time”.

Although time and circumstances have a way of moving us forward and away from the secure world of childhood, and changing us into the people we are today, with separate needs, priorities, responsibilities and commitments, the invisible bond remains strong and continuous.

And as our lives become more involved and more complex, we inevitably drift away into our own individual worlds, building our own families and our own separate identity. But throughout, we are but one word, one thought away, ready to drop all to support the one.

When our eldest brother succumbed to cancer we came together to mourn his untimely loss and to support one another. When our eldest sister departed, despite all that had taken place, we came together to share in the loss and to remember.

Even after the passage of time, we each continue to deal with our loss in different ways, some have become stronger, others continue to feel the pain, and yet others continue to carry regrets, but we are all united in acceptance.

Equally, in times of celebrations and good fortune, we look forward to sharing the joy and happiness with all, and remain unhappy and unfulfilled, unless we are able to come together and share our good feelings with one another.

And even as we grow older and travel further along the road of life, our concerns for one another, and each others’ welfare, grow more acute. The news of the illness of one, creates an urgency among the others until resolution occurs. An inevitable consequence of the bond created within us by our parents, and a desire to keep it intact for as long as we can, and to pass it on to all who follow.

For if I have learnt anything from the example of our late parents is that the Family is Paramount and stands above all else.

..........And I intend to pass this lesson on to my own children.

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You don't choose your family.
They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.
……Bishop Desmond Tutu

Other things may change us,
But we start and end with Family.
…….Anthony Brandt

The happiest moments of my life have been the few which
I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.
……..Thomas Jefferson

Families are the compass that guide us.
They are the inspiration to reach great heights,
and our comfort when we occasionally falter.
…….Brad Henry

Brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet.
….Vietnamese Proverb

There's no other love like the love for a brother.
There's no other love like the love from a brother.
…Astrid Alauda

I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see.
I sought my God, but my God eluded me.
I sought my brother and I found all three.
….Author Unknown