Dictionary defines "soul sister" as a woman friend who tends to the needs of our souls. A soul sister keeps her eye on what really matters, even when we may not be centered on that ourselves.
Hence, the first name(s) that came up in mind were those of my own sisters. As I close my eyes and try to go back to my childhood and then adolescence almost all my memories are filled with endless giggles, fights, arguments and chit-chats, impromptu market trips, emotional dramebaazi sessions and all 3 of us being in there every time.
And being born 1 year apart from each other, we grew up more like friends than sisters most of the time.
Obviously me being the eldest of the 3, tried to act the smartest and the boss all the time
I had to make sure to come up with the most believable and "reasonable" answer for all their questions.
Like we used to see lots of those star-shaped electric grids during our summer train journey and they asked me "What are those?"
And big sister the great "intelligent" answer was "These are the leftover frames which people leave after burning Ravan" (This explanation was reasonable for a 6 yr old being asked by another 5 and 4 yr old)
"But why would people burn Raavan near train tracks?", they'd ask again
Then, I had to distract them with some bird/tree/hut/song/"anything else". They still tease me on those stupid explanations I gave.
But all these moments of childhood were sowing the seeds of mutual bonding and support that developed as we grew up. Growing up, as we moved from Ranchi-Delhi-Noida-Faridabad, life was in constant turbulence At that time, my mom decided to let my middle sister stay at my Nani's place to let her finish her 12th class.
So we all moved to Noida and she stayed in Delhi with my Nani. I used to commute to Delhi for my college everyday. So every week, I visited my Nani's place and sat with her helping her in Maths studies. Looking back and remembering those days, it feels so nostalgic because honestly I used to look forward for that time spent together.
Later, I moved to hostel life for my Master's degree. Being my first time away from home, it was especially hard. I used to miss everyone from the family. And in those days of no-internet chatting and no cell phones, those blue inland letters were the most awaited things at hostel. So my sister used to grab paper and pen and hand it over to everyone, my mom, dad and ask them to write at least 2 lines for me.
She herself used to write really long letters to me, all full of humor, narrating those small incidents from back home. She even recapped the tele-serial "Swabhimaan" on my request!!
And my other sister, she was(is) a jugaad expert. Ask her to get anything and no matter which corner of the city she'll have to get and how, she'll make sure to get it.
But besides, all these things, the one thing that draws us and connects us to one another is the unspoken, unsaid yet understandable agreement between 3 of us. We understand each other and we are there for each other and we don't need to provide any explanations for anything at all.
Someone once told me that "We never need to explain to those who understand us"
And it is so very true between 3 of us.
We never ever have to give reasons to each other for anything.
Not when I don't call them for weeks, not when I forget their anniversary or B'day.
Yet, when I am low and sad about something, one phone call to them and those sad and low moments just melt away making me smile.
All 3 of us are into our own families and life, and are bound by other relations too.
But those other relations can never come or even affect what 3 of us have for each other.
We have all seen so much together and yet we have stood together
None of those times have been strong enough to change even a bit how we feel about each other
There are a few things in life that you treasure
and this relationship is one such treasure for me
My sisters are my heart and soul; they define me and complete me
They are my soul sisters.
“For there is no friend like a sister
In calm or stormy weather;
To cheer one on the tedious way,
To fetch one if one goes astray,
To lift one if one totters down,
To strengthen whilst one stands”
Christina Rossetti
This post is a part of this contest
Hence, the first name(s) that came up in mind were those of my own sisters. As I close my eyes and try to go back to my childhood and then adolescence almost all my memories are filled with endless giggles, fights, arguments and chit-chats, impromptu market trips, emotional dramebaazi sessions and all 3 of us being in there every time.
And being born 1 year apart from each other, we grew up more like friends than sisters most of the time.
Obviously me being the eldest of the 3, tried to act the smartest and the boss all the time
I had to make sure to come up with the most believable and "reasonable" answer for all their questions.
Like we used to see lots of those star-shaped electric grids during our summer train journey and they asked me "What are those?"
And big sister the great "intelligent" answer was "These are the leftover frames which people leave after burning Ravan" (This explanation was reasonable for a 6 yr old being asked by another 5 and 4 yr old)
"But why would people burn Raavan near train tracks?", they'd ask again
Then, I had to distract them with some bird/tree/hut/song/"anything else". They still tease me on those stupid explanations I gave.
But all these moments of childhood were sowing the seeds of mutual bonding and support that developed as we grew up. Growing up, as we moved from Ranchi-Delhi-Noida-Faridabad, life was in constant turbulence At that time, my mom decided to let my middle sister stay at my Nani's place to let her finish her 12th class.
So we all moved to Noida and she stayed in Delhi with my Nani. I used to commute to Delhi for my college everyday. So every week, I visited my Nani's place and sat with her helping her in Maths studies. Looking back and remembering those days, it feels so nostalgic because honestly I used to look forward for that time spent together.
Later, I moved to hostel life for my Master's degree. Being my first time away from home, it was especially hard. I used to miss everyone from the family. And in those days of no-internet chatting and no cell phones, those blue inland letters were the most awaited things at hostel. So my sister used to grab paper and pen and hand it over to everyone, my mom, dad and ask them to write at least 2 lines for me.
She herself used to write really long letters to me, all full of humor, narrating those small incidents from back home. She even recapped the tele-serial "Swabhimaan" on my request!!
And my other sister, she was(is) a jugaad expert. Ask her to get anything and no matter which corner of the city she'll have to get and how, she'll make sure to get it.
But besides, all these things, the one thing that draws us and connects us to one another is the unspoken, unsaid yet understandable agreement between 3 of us. We understand each other and we are there for each other and we don't need to provide any explanations for anything at all.
Someone once told me that "We never need to explain to those who understand us"
And it is so very true between 3 of us.
We never ever have to give reasons to each other for anything.
Not when I don't call them for weeks, not when I forget their anniversary or B'day.
Yet, when I am low and sad about something, one phone call to them and those sad and low moments just melt away making me smile.
All 3 of us are into our own families and life, and are bound by other relations too.
But those other relations can never come or even affect what 3 of us have for each other.
We have all seen so much together and yet we have stood together
None of those times have been strong enough to change even a bit how we feel about each other
There are a few things in life that you treasure
and this relationship is one such treasure for me
My sisters are my heart and soul; they define me and complete me
They are my soul sisters.
“For there is no friend like a sister
In calm or stormy weather;
To cheer one on the tedious way,
To fetch one if one goes astray,
To lift one if one totters down,
To strengthen whilst one stands”
Christina Rossetti
This post is a part of this contest
