Sisters?

A few years ago I met a woman, Lori, with whom I had an immediate affinity, as if we had always known each other. Lori and I can talk about anything, and everywhere we go together, people think that we are sisters. We have similar appearances, interests, and personalities -- and, just like most sisters, we also have some distinct differences.

Lori is stout (voluptuous is her word for it) and blessed with thick auburn-brown hair with a widow's peak; she is about five feet, five inches tall and has blue-green eyes. Her nose, while not really large, is somewhat prominent. I also have a fleshy figure; also have thick auburn-brown hair; and also have a widow's peak. I am the same height as Lori and, although my eyes tend more toward the green, they would also be described as blue-green.  My nose is at least as prominent, perhaps even a tad longer. We look so much alike that when people first meet us, many simply assume we are blood sisters. When I see old photos of her, I think, "That looks like me when I was young!"

We have always tried to figure out where the feeling of familiarity comes from. Could we have met before? We have discussed places in Austin where our paths could have crossed in our younger years,  the old Armadillo World Headquarters, Hippie Hollow or some other hangout for the "flower children."

What really makes two females sisters?  Of course, having the same parents is the truest answer; but in these days of women's liberation, women often view one another as sisters in spirit. I have a blood sister, who I love very much; but time and physical distance have kept us from the closeness we could share.  Sometimes we must find surrogates.

Besides looking alike, Lori and I share many common interests. We both love to sew, though Lori devotes more time to this, creating interesting clothes for herself and her children. Lori does bead weaving, as do I (along with making other forms of jewelry); and, of course, there is our common interest in things of a spiritual nature. This is what drew me to her in the beginning.  We pass books back and forth and have endless conversations about metaphysical things. We recently took a four day holiday to the A.R.E. (Association of Research and Enlightenment) Southwest Symposium, where I bought three new books that I am sure will soon be at Lori's house. . This common spiritual interest is out strongest bond.

We both are moms, although Lori still has children at home, and my son is grown.

When it comes to personality, Lori and I probably have as many differences as similarities. Where she is gregarious, charitable, and deeply loving, I am very reflective and sort of selfish (though very loving in my own way).

A few months after I met Lori, I had an incredible dream. The setting was in ancient Egypt. In the dream, Lori and I were twins. The spiritual leader of our group called her the "strong heart" and me "the weak heart." The main theme involved a bracelet -- a gift from our mother -- that we owned jointly. The dream was very complicated and full of details.  I noticed sandy feet in sandals made of a rope like substance. Animals -- I'm not sure what kind, but they were larger than lamas, smaller than camels -- pulled travois with bundles piled on or tied to them. My twin was moving away to another village to marry. As the caravan carrying her and her things set out across the desert, I felt betrayed. We didn't have a happy good bye. The next thing I knew, I was desperately running, trying to catch up with her so I could give her this special bracelet that had been entrusted to my keeping. The bracelet was made of something very strange -- ivory-like slivers that were connected in a flexible manner. These slivers had once been used by our mother as artificial fingernails, sewn or attached (in some forgotten manner) to our mother's real nails.  Weird.

When I woke up, I had a strong desire to give my new friend Lori a sterling silver bracelet that I had owned for a long time. Actually, it was a necklace that came apart to make two bracelets. The links are about an inch by three-quarters of an inch and contain the design of a flower. One bracelet's flower is a lily and the other's is a thistle. I gave her the lily because it reminded me of her. People are attracted to her beauty, sweetness, and purity. I kept the thistle because it suits me better. While the thistle is just as beautiful in its own right -- it has a lovely form and a delicate color -- people don't touch it because they know of its prickly nature. No one picks a thistle to be the centerpiece of their dinner table, but the butterfly often lands on the thistle-- to lightly enhance the purple flower as its momentary centerpiece. 

Lori and I are like this unique sterling silver jewelry: We are made of the same stuff.  Joined, we are each like a continuation of the other; separated, we have our own special characteristics. Both of us wear our bracelets all the time.

VCW

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