Sisters can be a Pain

Sisters can be a pain

especially older sisters!  (I have two)

especially older sisters whose personalities

are very different from you,

sisters who know you well enough

to see through

the posturing

the silence

but sisters

are also

amazing gifts

who are woven into the fabric of your life

in ways that are profound

in ways that are sometimes unnoticed

but are

always

always

profound

my sister Susan (Sue)

turned out amazingly well

considering all the trouble she had with

her bratty little brother

growing up we were great friends

and great enemies

I teased her about her weight

I crunched my carrots, loud!  (she hated that)

and helped her sneak out for time

with that horrid boyfriend our father hated

she is older than me

much older

much, much older :)

OK, not really that much older

and so left home, wandering off to college

and then to nursing school

she graduated from nursing school

and got married to her wonderful, playful Dan

the year I graduated from high school

not too many years later, upon the unexpected death of her father-in-law

she and Dan landed in Wallowa County, Oregon

to take over the family farm

what a wonderful retreat for a philosophy major

from Whitman College

there were weekends

full of bridge (the card game) and skunks

snowmen and nephews

and over the years Sue’s house was always

always

always

a retreat

Henri Nouwen once said that the task of the Christian

Is to practice hospitality

to create a free and friendly space

where the stranger can cast of his or her strangeness

and find themselves

Sue has always had the gift of hospitality

The greatest praise I can think of

Is that when you are at Sue’s you are “at home”

It is a gift

a huge and wonderful gift

and countless people have experienced it !

this last week, the front page of the local paper

sang the praises of Dr. Seibe, and wonderful doctor in my little county

who well deserves the praise given

after all it was he who took care of my thumb

after stupidity cost me about half of it

but the nurse behind the doctor

the one who established a calm and loving space

in which he practiced,

was my sister Susan

who retires with him

after over 30 years of nursing

she will retreat to the farm

and her 10 grandchildren

and there she will continue to offer her gift

of hospitality

I am a lucky guy

I have this sister

My nephews and their wives are lucky men

Her grandchildren!  Ah, should any child be so blest

Her friends

Her community

Susan Lea Kliewer Duncan

You may have been a pain

But you are amazing

And I love you