I was just reading about Drew Barrymore’s reaction to her half-sister being found dead near San Diego. “Although I only met her briefly, I wish her and her loved ones as much peace as possible and I’m so incredibly sorry for their loss.” I just love Drew. She has always struck me as a decent, compassionate and loving individual.
I don’t know why this story hit home for me so much. Maybe because her sister Jessica was about my age and it appears that it was a suicide. What a tragic waste. This is a harsh world that sometimes seems hellbent on robbing people of their potential, so the fact that one would choose to rob oneself of that very same potential is hard for me to imagine.
Maybe it got to me because I know what it’s like to have siblings that are a great deal more successful at life than I am, and that can be a hard thing to live with. Of course, I have no idea if that was even a factor in Jessica’s life. But speaking from experience, it’s difficult when you measure yourself by a much nicer yardstick and realize you share the same gene pool with the owner of that yardstick. It makes you wonder where you went wrong.
But I think this story touched me simply because I know so many people who are estranged from their siblings, half siblings and step siblings, and that makes me sad. When a sibling has your back, there’s nothing quite like it. There can be no greater level of trust than that. But unfortunately, many choose not to go down that path. And of course there can be obstacles. It’s hard to feel close to someone you didn’t actually grow up with. It’s hard to relate to someone who is decades older or younger than you. And it must be nearly impossible to connect with someone who is on a path to self-destruction, or who was raised with completely different ethics or morals.
All I’m saying is, if you have even considered making contact with a sibling, if you are even on the fence about the concept, or if you know that that fence needs mending, what would it hurt to reach out? The longer you wait, the greater the chance that you’ll reach a point where it will no longer be possible. And then you’ll be left wondering what you missed.
[Image credit: valleyrecoverycalifornia.com]
The View from a Drawbridge 
I think this post has had huge impact on many of us. Thought provoking indeed.
I hope it does.