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My best friend sent me a letter which I posted a couple of Mother’s Days ago. I’m going to share it with you again. (Unfortunately I am still unable to find the original author of this letter.)
A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot and humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.
“Don’t forget your sisters,” she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. “They’ll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.”
“Remember that ‘sisters’ means ALL the women… Your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. You’ll need other women. Women always do.”
“What a funny piece of advice!” the young woman thought. “Haven’t I just gotten married? Haven’t I just joined the couple-world? I’m now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!”
But she listened to her mother. She kept contact with her sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her mother really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, sisters are the mainstays of her life.
After more than 50 years of living in this world, here is what I’ve learned:
THIS SAYS IT ALL:
Time passes. Life happens. Distance separates. Children grow up. Jobs come and go. Love waxes and wanes. Men don’t do what they’re supposed to do. Hearts break. Parents die. Colleagues forget favors. Careers end.
BUT………
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach. When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley’s rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley’s’ end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you….Or come in and carry you out.
Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, mothers, grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family – all bless our life!
The world wouldn’t be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called Womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Every day, we need each other still.
Pass this on to all the women who help make your life meaningful. I just did.
Whichever “category” you fall under, I hope you are having a wonderful day!
Susan* says
Well, re: Newlyweds, mothers and ‘support networks’, this is an old joke, but it’s still funny.
A young couple got married and went on their honeymoon. When they got back, the bride immediately called her mother.
“Well…” said her mother, “How was the honeymoon?”
“Oh, Mamma!” she replied, “The honeymoon was wonderful! So romantic…”
Suddenly she burst out in tears. “But Mamma, as soon as we returned, Tom started using the most horrible language – things I’d never heard before! I mean, all these awful four letter words! You’ve got to take me home… PLEASE MAMMA!”
“Baby, baby…” her mother said, “Calm down! You need to stay with your husband and work this out. Now tell me, what could be so awful? What four letter words did he say?”
“Please don’t make me tell you, Mamma!” wept the daughter, “I’m so embarrassed – they’re just too awful! COME GET ME, PLEASE!”
“Darling, baby, you have to tell your mother these horrible four letter words.”
Still sobbing, the bride said, “Oh, Mamma … he used words like: dust, wash, iron, cook…”
“I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes.” said her mother.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan*, thanks for passing this on. It may be an old joke, but I’ve never heard it…
Susan* says
Well, it seemed appropriate – and I hope it made you – and maybe others – smile! 🙂
Bess Moon says
Loved this and forwarded it to my sister, she is 88 and I am 82 and are still close, though she is in CA and I am inTX. Thank you. Bess
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Bess, I am very glad you enjoyed it. You are very lucky to have a sister who is close.
Ann Philipp says
Well said, Danna. And so true.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ann, I think it rings true, also.
Melissa says
This is such a special letter! Thanks so much for sharing it!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Melissa, I have a friend who, as soon as her husband left her, her primary goal was to find a boyfriend. She found one, dropped all of her women friends for the first few years of being with her new “love”, and then found herself all alone when he moved on to another woman. Fortunately, we (her women friends) welcomed her back to the fold.
Dorothy B says
THank you that is true lovely to read
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Dorothy B, I guess I loved this letter so much that I had to post it again!
Susan* says
Seriously, we do tend to underestimate having women friends. A lady I know was diagnosed with breast cancer about two years ago.*
She turned to a woman friend – someone she didn’t know very well, but that she knew would provide a sympathetic ear. They talked on the phone, and two days later a parcel turned up in the mail – three of her favourite mysteries!
Second lady couldn’t get to see the first one, so had sent her a ‘cheer-up’ present, instead. (The two women are both mystery buffs – and have since become much closer.)
Women friends rule!
*She is now in full remission. Fingers crossed! (And no, ‘she’ is not me! Just in case anyone was wondering! Lol!)
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan*, good to now she isn’t you! What a nice story. There’s a lot to be said about passing a kindness forward…
Elly says
I am so glad that my daughter turned me to your Cozy Website. I love the Donut Shop, knitting, cooking and all craft books. Love the Cat/Diesel books, etc.
Is there a place where I can print out the lists? I buy so many books that I have read before because I like the new covers too. I try to look at the printing dates now.
Thank You.
How to I also sign up for a pen pal?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Elly, welcome to the Cozy Mystery site. I’m glad you’re enjoying looking around. As for printing the lists, I can only suggest that you print the pages or cozy and paste the author you follow onto a separate list so you can print that.
As for pen pals, I’m sorry, but I don’t have a pen pal match-up.