A
Sister’s Tribute
The third week in February 2011 Ms
Alberta’s youngest sister, Sue, drove from Texas to visit with her. When Aunt
Sue got ready to leave she gave me this letter that she had written for Ms
Alberta. I was not to give it to Ms Alberta until Aunt Sue had left going back
to Texas.
The night after Aunt Sue left for Texas I
gave the letter to Ms Alberta. Ms Alberta tried to read the letter but because
she was crying so hard couldn’t.
Ms Alberta and I cried together as I read
the letter for her.
This was the last visit the two sisters had.
Monday, February 21, 2011
My Dearest Sister,
There is
no way on earth I can put into words what I feel in my heart. I’d hoped I could
talk to you but I can’t so I’ll try to write.
I don’t
know God’s plan nor His time table and I may be in heaven to greet you when you
get there, but no matter, I still want to tell you how very much I love you and
how grateful I am to you for your love and kindnesses through all the years.
There is not enough paper in this world to write out all the things you have done
for me – the Christmases, the guidance’s – the laughter – the sharing – the
caring – the teaching, the lists go on and on.. You’ve been there for me in
good times and in bad, pulled me up when I was down, happy for me when I was
happy, encouraged me when I’d lose hope. You have laughed with me and you have
cried with me – and you have played with me since I could talk and said my “Now
I Lay Me Down to Sleep” prayer that I repeated after you as you taught me to
pray. I still know how to pray, Sis, and right now I am praying very hard. I
feel like I just can’t lose you – my selfishness – because I know you’d be with
Mom and Pop and Willis and the Lord and all things good and know only
happiness, but I’d be grief stricken and lost. The very thought of it is more
than I can bear.
I want to
say THANK YOU but those words seem so shallow, we say thank you to a person for
a stick of gum, so how do I use those words to say THANK YOU from the very
bottom of my heart for you being YOU, but I do Thank You and please know I mean
it with every fiber of my being.
There
never has been and never will be another woman like you. A lot of us try and
all of us fail. You are “iron willed and steel proud”. You are so strong, Sis.
And you are so pretty. I so remember asking you if I might be as pretty as you
when I grew up and I thank you for saying yes. I never did get that pretty but
from the very start you gave me hope that I could attain those things I wanted.
I was never jealous of you but I always wanted to be like you. The only reason
I wasn’t jealous is because I loved you too much and always wanted the best for
you – because you have always deserved the best. You haven’t been rewarded on
this earth for your goodness but the record is written and your rewards await you
– and they will be many. You have touched so many lives and there are so many
of us to testify of your kindnesses and your love. You always made me feel
safe.
You have
been like a mother, a sister, a friend; a mother not because you’re a couple of
years older – you are sure not old enough to be my mother – but because of your
maturity and wisdom. Had I been older than you you’d still have been my “big
sis”, you were a natural born leader.
And I
love you.
Your Sister,
Sue
Written on the outside of the folded pages
of the letter:
Sis,
This is so inept. I could write a million pages and
it still wouldn’t say what I want to say – I just can’t say all that I feel.