Three Boley Girls

When I think about sisters and how deep the bond they share is, I think of John 19:25. "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister,..." On what was no doubt the hardest day of Mary's life, her sister was standing by her. A follower of Jesus herself, Mary's sister was thus her double sister in the family of God. She couldn't change the situation, but she was there, and it is safe to assume her presence was helpful to the mother who had to watch her Son die.

I have long thought that someday I would write a poem about sisterhood because of my own sisters. Today is that day. While I was packing this evening for our upcoming move, traces of lines began to come together in my mind. Although nothing I could write could capture all our memories or all that my sisters mean to me, it is better to write something than nothing. Each phrase summarizes a story that could lead to another story and another story and...well, if you have been blessed with good sisters, you know what I mean...

From hand me downs to hand me ups,

From little girls to all grown up –

Best of friends we've always been,

And we'll stay that way 'til past life's end.

From pink foam curlers to all we had to sell,

The three Boley girls have stories to tell:

Treats for the kids, bracers, fair and square,

Toy rescues after Ms. Lahonda was there,

Our first grown up road trip, Boley blitz cleaning,

Taking "breaks", and giggling in Calvary's prayer meeting.

And then there were times that made us cry –

Taking care of Mom, telling her bye.

In good times and bad, through thick and through thin,

In person or phone calls – a sister's a win.

God gave me two great ones, best ones there could be:

Priscilla and Judith, we're the Boley girls three.

And though we're about to live further apart,

Kindred souls are always connected at heart.*

*The last three words of this line are from a wall sign about sisters that all three of us have in our homes.