Trip to Port Stephens

Being with a sibling again after a prolonged absence can be a very revealing experience. As well as the joy and instant connection (maybe not all people have this), after a while you can recognise aspects of your own behaviour or character displayed by the other. In addition to the reflection this causes (always interesting to see yourself through your own eyes, but from the outside instead of the inside), the thought crosses your mind that growing up together, with the same (or very similar) morals, lessons and guidance given by parents can result in quite similar tendencies.

For example, my sister and I are both pretty fussy about food. Not so much that we only eat sandwiches with the crusts cut off and divided into triangles, but more that we generally want good quality, more healthy food: meat without hormones or animal feed, less deep-fried, mass-produced, factory churned-out crap, more fresh fruit and vegetables. Furthermore, we can sometimes get so hungry, yet desirous of only something that fits our specific hunger, our want for a certain taste and feeling in our mouths and bellies and minds, a certain kind of holistic satisfaction that we bumble around looking for that meal (without really knowing what it is that we want exactly), all the while growing more tetchy and short-fused because we are hungry and want that quite specific thing that we cannot always put our fingers on.

We can also be somewhat judgemental of others who don't show politeness (simple "excuse me's" or 'thank you's" or "please's") or display a particular lack of common sense. I prefer to think that this is because we judge ourselves as harshly; rather than us being close-minded and intolerant. In addition to these perhaps less positive recognitions are the many laughs, shared quirkiness and past memories, not to mention new ones being made.

Being with my sister again after over a year and half away (and being together for the longest time for about 8 years), I am struck by her energy, creativity, compassion, kindness and patience. Despite working long hours as a nurse, giving her all to care for others, she still makes cakes, thinks of nice, interesting activities, creates tasty meals, plays with her son and sees her friends, and more, on her days off. Looking back to when I worked full-time, those 5 days a week of being engaged somewhere else for 8+ hours a day... I would come home and barely have enough energy, motivation or creativity to bother to make a nutritious and yummy meal for myself, let alone make the effort to be active and creative. Just as with my brother (whose sense of humour, creativity, determination, optimism, adventurousness and more never fail to lift my spirits and motivate me), my sister is an inspiration to me.

Having grown up with our brothers and/or sisters, we know them in a way we rarely know our friends. Yet this special relationship and ability to recognise our own faults or weaknesses as well as strengths is possible with almost anyone we meet or observe. All those people we pass in the street have their own thoughts, belief systems, moral compasses (hopefully), dreams, connections, loves and fears can be equally revealing and inspiring to us if we give them - and ourselves - the chance.