Yesterday was my sister Robin’s birthday, and if you know me or have read the blog, then you know that in addition to being my older sister Robin is my best friend, champion, protector and all around one of my favorite people. I realized this morning that on Terrbear and my Father’s birthdays I wrote posts dedicated to them so I figured, why not write one about Robin?
Robin has actually already been featured rather prominently here on the blog, after all it is her Terrbear that I have the pleasure of spending my days with, she walked beside me in October at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, and so many of my stories and memories from childhood involve her because truly, she was and is major part of my life. If you know Robin then you know she likes things a certain way, some would call it her way, she would probably refer to it as the right way. On a near nightly basis we have to google some issue we disagree on because she will never admit defeat (like her insistence that it is Jon Hamm in the Lindt chocolate commercial with the chefs hat on, uhm, no, it’s not. Or my assertion that it is indeed George Clooney’s voice in that car ad, uhm YES, it is! On both accounts I was correct, of course! What can I say, we sisters are always grappling with the most important issues of our time people.) She has a high aesthetic, she is fiercely protective of those she loves and cares about, she has an amazing sense of humor but manages to be funny without being cynical or demeaning to others. She is generous almost to a fault. If you are one of her people she will only see the best in you and expect only the best from you, she won’t tell you what you want to hear but rather what you need to hear but she will do it in the kindest, gentlest manner possible, and all of her advice comes from the heart, there is never an angle, an ulterior motive, just love.
Several years ago I went to see a psychic (laugh all you want but this woman is amazing, to this day Robin remains unconvinced that she is worth the 3 hour drive and the $40 but then again, Robin is far more practical than I) The first words out of the psychics mouth were, “Who is Robin? They are telling me this is the person you go to for all your advice, the first person you call when you are happy or sad. Her advice is always from the heart, she always has your best interests in mind. And you’ve travelled through many lives together, and in every one she has looked after you.” I almost passed out right there. I knew this, I have always known this. Some people you just know you have always known. And while I am not sure I believe in past lives, I do know Robin is one of my kindred spirits. When we were younger our little sister Jamie would get annoyed with us when Robin would refer to me as her “baby” (she is only 5 years older than me. It sounds creepy but it was pretty hilarious at the time) My first grade teacher told a then 11 year old Robin that she babied me too much and had to stop walking me to my classroom every morning, that I needed to be more independent. Needless to say Robin let the teacher know she did not share her opinion and continued to drop me off in front of class every morning. One summer we were at our beach club and some girl who was Robin’s age offered me her Cherry 7Up, she said, “Hey Mandy, do you want the rest of this? It’s full of sugar and fattening just the way you like it.” I actually didn’t even register that part, my 7 year old self heard “FREE CHERRY 7UP!!!” So you can imagine my shock and horror when Robin cut me off at the pass and sternly barked, “No, Mandy doesn’t want that! Come on Mandy” and dragged me away. Once we were up in our locker changing I was still confused, and I wanted that soda dang it! However, Robin set me straight “Mandy don’t ever let anyone talk that way to you! She is insecure and nasty and that’s why she is like that.” Ohhh, ok, I got it. From the other side of the door we heard the girl, who apparently had been eavesdropping say, “Robin, Mandy, I’m sorry I said that.” We both froze and looked at each other, our eyes wide open, our hands over our mouths suppressing giggles, finally Robin called back, “Uhm, ok, thanks!” I’m telling you, don’t mess with a girl and her sister!
I always was secure in the knowledge that Robin liked having me around. I was never a nuisance, she never treated me like the annoying little sister. We had fun, after all I was her sidekick! However, not everyone shared this sentiment. On one occasion I was hanging out in Robin’s room with her and her friend, they were in Junior high at this point and I loved all the gossip about boys and crushes and the big girl talk. However, Robin’s friend apparently considered me an uninvited guest. When Robin got up to go the bathroom she turned on me, “WHY ARE YOU HERE? You’re always chiming in and adding your two cents and annoying, we don’t want you here.” Now, I was a shy, timid child, however, one thing I was confident in is that my sister liked me, this girl had it all wrong. So, bolstered with the knowledge that Robin would always support me and did indeed want me there I retorted, “Robin likes me and wants me here! In fact, when you go home we laugh at how stupid are and make fun of you!” ZING! That shut her right up! It wasn’t very nice of me to say, but I was all of 7 years old, and she had it coming. But that is what was and is so wonderful about Robin, I always felt accepted and supported, I knew that we were family and therefore everyone else came second to us. And to be completely truthful, I wouldn’t have blamed Robin for kicking me out of her room and telling me to get lost every now and then. I mean, her room was an immaculate palace, and yet I had managed to sully her lovely carpet on several occasions with my urine. You see, Robin was funny, she would get me laughing and I would be clutching my belly when suddenly my little bladder would just decide to empty itself all over her pink carpet. She never lost her temper though, she would just sigh and go get the club soda to clean it up, (By the way, how many 11 year olds are you aware of that know how to clean carpet stains with club soda??)
When I had a big interview and was nervous and had nothing to wear, it was Robin who gave me the money to buy a good suit, when I was living in the city and pinching my penny’s Robin left a Food Emporium gift card on my kitchen counter so I would be able to get healthy food to eat. Three years ago when I had a sinus infection followed by the flu and felt like death, Robin drove up to my apartment with enough food to feed an army and straightened up my apartment and took out the garbage. It is by watching her example that I am constantly reminded how to live life with grace, kindness, generosity and caring. She is one of those rare people who manages to be inherently good without being boring, she is kind without being self-righteous or condescending. I am so blessed to be her sister and to have her as a friend. My wish for you all is that you have a “Robin” in your life, someone who only see’s the best in you, expects great things of you, supports and loves you unconditionally and has the ability to make you laugh until you wet your pants.
