Don't Throw Around the Term 'Sister' Willy-Nilly

I’ve read a lot of cheesy stuff about sisters. From tacky bumper stickers to Facebook statuses, it really is a relationship term that gets thrown around a lot. But, I have three sisters, and I am truly thankful (all cheesy quotes aside) to have them all in my life.

The siblings in my family are well spread in years. I’ll skip the lengthy history, but let’s just say there is a good 15-year stretch among us four.

Since I went to college, however, one thing has remained the same. To remain close, to have time to ourselves and to enjoy one another’s company, we’ve developed an annual tradition: The Sisters’ Weekend.

One weekend a year, we drop it all. We leave behind our husbands and children. We drop the job. The teens even set aside the cellphone (for the most part). For three days, we just celebrate being sisters.

This year, we headed to Virginia Beach for the traditional getaway. In the past several years, we’ve done New York City, Philadelphia, a cabin in West Virginia, State College (Go Penn State!) and Richmond. We stay somewhat close to our geographical homes. It isn’t about the traveling nearly as it is the bonding.

With such an age difference, and with four strong-minded, independent women, you’d think it would be difficult to get along, but it never is. We all think we are the boss. We all think we are the best at what we do. But, when we are all in the same space, we meld  together well as a team.

We keep a journal of our weekends. We scrapbook the ticket stubs and hotel keys. We save all of the photos. It is a great way to remember where we were in our lives. We’ve chronicled years of college, graduations, pregnancies, marriages, divorces … but one thing has remained the same: We are thankful for our time together.

This year, we didn’t do a whole lot. It was simply about relaxing on the beach. We talked about baby names. (The second oldest is pregnant, due in November.) We talked about relationships.

Each year, my grandmother sends snacks. My mom, however, sends questions. She writes conversation starters that are super-deep and serious. Sometimes, we debate them for hours before we go to bed. Sometimes, we giggle and toss them aside.

I think the best thing we did was just walking on the shore one night. The wet sand between our toes, the misty ocean breeze in our hair and the warm waves lapping our ankles … there just isn’t anything better. We didn’t have to say much. We just have to be thankful.

We are lucky to have one another. We’ll always have one another. Other relationships come and go, but not sisters. I hope our tradition keeps going. I love my sisters. I love getting to have that one weekend a year alone with them.

It is a great tradition. Thanks, girls, for a fun Sisters’ Weekend 2011.