The True Love Of A Sibling

This photo was taken in 1990.
We were on an annual family camping trip in Eastern Washington. The picture was snapped on a 35mm film camera so we went on being kids after this. It would take one month from this moment to see the photo. (It was film, so it had to be developed) This means no-one stopped at this moment to post this picture on social media or spent time that weekend distracted by hashtags, likes, or comments. Or even showed us what it looked like in a monitor.

Our family trips were spent without cell phones, computers or gaming devices. We spent undistracted time with each other just playing. It was make-believe, board games, riding our bikes, swimming in the lake, and eating as much candy and drinking as much soda pop as we could sneak!

My longest-running friendships are with my brother and my sister here in this photo. They have individually and consistently shown up in my life when I have asked for help.

They both embody the characteristics friendship takes to last decades: Time, acceptance, trust & forgiveness.

They show up to help. They accepted without hesitation my same-sex relationship. They are good at listening and they don't gossip. They have both forgiven me when I have said or done things that hurt.

I want to be more like them when I grow up.