Having sisters are one of life’s greatest pleasures and delights. Brothers are nurturing and protective, but nothing takes the place of a sister who is almost like you, except you may have different point of views.

My Granny was blessed to have experienced the love and caring of three sisters. Because my Grandmother was the youngest, her sisters felt it necessary to enlighten her and shelter her from life’s maladies. Granny and I often spoke at length about the relationship she had with her sisters. I always found her tales filled with humour and a good dose of mischief.

One day, while Granny and I were in the kitchen soaking raisins and fruit for the annual Jamaican Christmas Cake, she told me several tales about “The Shenanigans of The Attie Girls. Daisy, Mae, Doris and Violet.”

Granny would start off by saying, “I was always the tom-boy of the lot, we used to have such nice times.”

Granny spoke of her childhood with a twinkle in her eyes, almost as if she longed for those days again.

She continued, “We used to go to the river and swim for hours, I would always try to find a high point on the land and do sommersaults, that’s what the children in Jamaica call “poopalick”. While I would swim, Mae was always busy trying to redesign my bathing suit, Daisy was usually yelling reminders, “Take it easy V!” While Doris sat under a tree drying off from her swim.

I would gaze at Granny in awe, “Granny you mean you girls were dare devils?”

“We were dare devils but in a mild sense of the word. I liked to partake in all sorts of sporting activities, while Mae was busy being the Social Registry of Pedro, Daisy would crochet anything that could fit into a house, and Doris…..She was an observer. Sweet Doris, would do anything for you, most of the time she sat quietly reading and taking in the sights of us. Mae was like the Movie Star, she loved to play dress-up and would often use Mama and Papa’s fine china to make pretend dinner parties with us. She would dress up the pets and everyone in the household became a part of her fantasy life. Of course, our parents were usually not home when she planned these grand events. Our brothers usually kept watch, and as soon as Papa’s buggy came around the gates, it was like changing the scene at a play. I never saw human beings move so fast in my life.”

I chuckled, “Granny, that is so funny, Did your parents even think that you guys were meddling with the china and fineries?”

Granny reminisced for a second, “I think Mama knew we were up to some antics, but I don’t think she knew the full scope of what we were doing. Although, every once in a while when they would go out, she would comment, “Girls, remember the devil finds mischief for idle hands. Hmmm..that always gave us food for thought. I think she became “thrown off” because Daisy always made sure the house looked divine when she returned. She would stay up all night crocheting tablecloths, bedspreads, pillow cases, doilies, you name it, Daisy could make it. We all had our gifts, and it served us well. Doris was more quiet, but she was the voice of reason. If we did something terribly out of line, Doris would make us write our names several times until our hands were cramping with pain.

Then, she’d take us on a trip to the Candy Shoppe and we each got a piece of our favorite candy. Looking back, she was a good, big sister.

“Granny you and your sisters seemed really close?”

“Yes, we were. Our parents taught us, “All for one and one for all!”

Eventhough, we didn’t share many things because our parents encouraged us to have our own. We had a sense of camaraderie and love for one another that very few people could understand.

“If someone tried to hurt either one of us, we all turned into war boats and defended their honour, and…if things got too dicey, we called in the Brigade. The Brothers. But as time passed, we each went our separate ways. Mae, who often spent her time twirling in her dresses like a ballerina, married a prominent Gentleman and moved away to the States. Daisy married the Farmer that owned the Tobacco Farm next door. As soon as Doris was finished with school, she migrated to America. She married a nice man and they had wonderful children. I am so proud that one of her children has chosen to serve the Lord.”

“Really Granny? They got married at young ages and left you at home with your parents?”

“I was the youngest, so I kept life interesting for my parents. I used to have “Old Victrola” Sundays where I invited everyone on the property up to the house to have Bible Study with the family. It was a glorious time. My mother could play the organ like any concert pianist. I remember her sitting there in pomp and circumstance tapping away at the keys. What an enchanting woman she was….I wish you children could have known her.”

“So Granny, after you got married to Grandpa and everything, did you ever reunite with your sisters?”

Granny urged me to put more raisins in the jar for soaking.

While mixing a batch of ingredients, she explained, “Well, we each lead separate lives, Doris visited Jamaica once or twice, but we mostly kept in touch through letters. Once Mae, Doris and I spent the weekend together and I almost went shrieking down the street. Don’t get me wrong, I love my sisters till no end, but we each had developed different ideologies. Mae had become a prevailing force in High Society, Daisy had become a staunch believer in Oral Roberts, and me, I was faithful to my Religion.

Everytime, Mae and I got together, She would say “V put on a little rouge and lipstick,“ I always told her, “Did you forget the days I used to wear rouge, lipstick and jewelry like it was going out of style? I’m a Christian now. With God I have all those things.”

“That’s when Mae and I would start quibbling like sisters often do. She was the glamour gal, and wanted everyone around her to be glamorous too. Daisy was a dear, although she made me bananas with her all night crocheting episodes, and her long conversations regarding Oral Roberts versus The Seventh Day Adventist Church. As I said, we had different ideas, and each time we got together it was filled with a pow-wow of love.

Come to think of it, I know I probably irritated them horribly. Especially with my all night singing and clapping my hands. The incense I use, usually sent them ghasping for fresh air and my preaching sermons sometimes made them want to run straight for the cotton balls.”

“I tell you one thing though, no matter where in the world each one of us were and either of us shed a tear, Quiet or no quiet, we were all willing to lead any troup across water, air, hill or gully.”

Granny’s stories about her sisters always delighted me, I would laugh uncontrollably and then respond, “Granny, I remember when you guys got together I thought it was fun. Do you remember when I dressed up like Cher, that seemed to distract you ladies for a while?”

“Yes Magsie, that was very funny!”

“Yeah, it sure was, I always thought you and your sisters were always funny together. It was like looking at you in triplicate. You know Granny, the theme song for you and your sisters should be “I Got You Babe”.

Granny looked at me shaking her head, “I don’t believe I ever heard that one before.”

“Let me sing a few verses for you Granny, “They may say our love is wrong, but you and I belong, I got you babe …..la…la. la…..I think that’s what the verse says. Anyway, it’s a good song.”

Granny kept on mumbling, “Song or no song, having a sister is one of God’s greatest blessings, but you have to remember that they are no different than strangers, They are regular people, except you share the same DNA. You have to be sure that they love you as much as you love them. My sisters and I will love each other beyond death, despite all our shortcomings because our parents raised us to have compassion for each other.

So today I write this article to for all the sisters in the world, hoping that they will embrace eah other despite their differences and satus in life.

GOD BLESS!