FULL HOUSE Celebrating All 5 Siblings

Raksha Bandhan is name of a Hindu festival celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters. It’s observed in August, particularly in India, dating back to the mid-1800s. The relationship between siblings only gained a celebration in the U.S. in 1995, when Claudia Evart founded National Siblings Day in honor of her brother and sister, who died at a young age.

Evart was particularly aware of the crucial role siblings play in our lives after losing hers, and she chose April 10 to coincide with her late sister Lisette’s birthday. She continues on her quest
to make National Siblings Day an internationally celebrated holiday. I agree our relationships with our siblings are meaningful and irreplaceable, so I want to take a moment to honor all five of mine.

My older sister, Beth, was a wonderful role model when we were growing up and was, and continues to be, an incredibly kind, gentle, and loving sister. I always looked up to her, and even as an adult, my admiration for her is unfading. Today, she lives in Holland with her husband, Jitze, and has three lovely grown children. She’s too far away for my liking, but we cherish any time we can spend together. My daughter, Alecia, got to spend Thanksgiving with her this year in Holland.

I’m the second oldest and was followed by my brother, Grant, who lives in Raleigh. He’s a patent lawyer by profession, but I’ve always thought he could have a second calling as a physician. Grant has a deep interest in integrated medicine and he is my go-to person for the latest updates regarding COVID-19. He regularly shares educational resources with me, in fact, he introduced me to much of the information on heart health found on Page 3! Grant is very generous, compassionate, and would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. On a fun note, he finished the Leadville Trail 100 MTB — bike race in under 12 hours and got the official belt buckle! Look up this race online and you will be amazed.

Brian was the fourth child in our family, and he sadly passed away suddenly at age 43 from complications from undiagnosed cardiomyopathy. He was a devoted father to two children and was always able to make us laugh. One of his favorite jokes involved “recycling” greeting cards we sent him. For example, Beth would send him a Christmas card, and when it was my birthday, he’d cross out “Merry Christmas” and replace it with “Happy Birthday.” He’d also strike the original names and update them. He even used a sticker over the address to mail it in the original envelope!

I feel incredibly blessed to have had Brian in my life for 43 wonderful years. He was an example to us in life and reminds me daily that tomorrow isn’t promised; we should cherish every day we have and spend as many as possible with loved ones.

Robert is the second youngest in the family. He lives locally with his wife, Jennifer, and they have three wonderful children as well, so we regularly have the opportunity to catch up and spend time together. Like Brian, Robert has an incredible sense of humor. He can get away with making fun of any of the siblings, and no one ever takes him to task because he’s so lighthearted about it. Robert is super kind and generous as well. He and his wife are very gracious and have a “shrimp boil” at their house each year for anywhere from 50–150 people to celebrate the start of summer with family and friends.

Finally, Leigh lives in Bridgton, Maine. My youngest sibling is an incredibly gifted writer. More than that, she too is a remarkably kind and loving person — and she has the best laugh. She always reminds us to care for each other and treat the people we love with tenderness. I always know I will have a good laugh talking with her! Leigh is now living next to Long Lake, Maine, which is an extremely beautiful area, and it is where we had our longest and my most favorite summer vacation together as a family.

I agree with Claudia Evart that we should have a day to celebrate our siblings because they’re such an enormous part of our youth — and, if we’re lucky, the rest of our lives. We should take time to honor them whenever possible, but April 10 provides us a good excuse to take a moment to appreciate our siblings.

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