Love without puppet strings

[The People]

A while back I started thinking about my oldest sister (even before the loss of the youngest one). She was my savior during my formative years. She fixed my hair, took me places and I knew I was her favourite.

I just texted her. We never went to the dark side. I just thanked her for being there for me. She told me that she always looked after me. Mom came home 14 months after my birth with another baby. She put her down and tried to take me but I didn't want to leave my sister's arms.

Made my sister happy. During my growing up years she was good to me as well. She said that I was her little girl.

Genuine love without puppet strings. I never saw it for what it was until recently. My life isn't the best but I believe that her love and the care and concern of a teacher that I had in grade 5. She also treated me as special - smart,

My sisters didn't have that. The ones on either side of me went down a dark road as a result.

I was so fortunate! I never thought I would say that about any aspect of my childhood but because of that sister I was loved during my formative years. That is everything in the eyes of a child and helps to keep the dark times at bay.