A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot 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. Short and very sweet:



There are more than twenty angels in this world.


Ten are peacefully sleeping on clouds. Nine are


playing. And one is reading her email at this


moment.