Bottled Lightning

I do not have a sister. There are women in my life I am especially close to and they know who they are, but I do not suppose it is the same as having a sister. I am fortunate to be blessed with two lovely sisters-in-law (and, truly, I say fortunate because I actually LIKE and love my sisters-in-law, unlike many people I know) but I got to thinking about sisters this past weekend watching my daughter and her cousin, Anya, together.

Anya is newly six and Isabelle will be five in June. Both are darkish blonde, both fair-skinned, both fine-boned and of thinner builds. Both are strong-willed, dramatic, crazy and smart. Both are like bottled lightning, bright, beautiful, and difficult to keep contained for long. My brother and I watched our daughters for three days, holding hands, dressing the same, playing together, having their hair styled the same way, kissing them goodnight in the same bedroom, and laughingly calling them the twins. At one point I saw the girls throw their arms around each others necks while Anya held out a camera in front of their faces to immortalize the moment, and I thought, yes, freeze time right here, would you? It is so near perfect.

I love that they have each other, that somehow my child and my brother's look so similar that people could mistake them for sisters. I love that somehow even though they do not get to see each other more then every few months it seems like we live next door. I do not know what the future holds for their relationship .... the lives of teenage girls are full of many emotions and lots of changes, but I hope that the bond I see forming now between the two of them will somehow continue to thrive. Maybe sisters do not have to come from the same womb after all.