Shared Ride

My older brother, sister, sister-in-law and I took a road trip to Ohio for the funeral visitation of our stepmother's sister. It's been a while since we've had such a concentrated period of time together with no other family distractions. We have over five decades of shared laughter, tears, angry words and loving embraces. Our lives are not the same: different paths, different dreams, different outcomes. But we have retained a common bond that seems to grow stronger as we live longer.

In the photo you'll see my brother at the wheel and my sister's hand directing our route. I am in the back with my sister-in-law. My siblings and I have traveled many memorable miles together. I pray that there be many more.

I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at. ~Maya Angelou