Siblings

They are the best of friends. As they grow up they laugh together, cry together, they quarrel and they compete for parental love. Today our older daughter is arriving in Tokyo to spend a few days with her little sister. And our younger daughter was so excited to receive her big sister, she even asked for my advice as to where she should meet her. I told her she should do whatever made her happy, although the alternative might be a little simpler as well as a little easier on her pocket book (after all she is still a student in a foreign country).

We, parents try to be fair. Sometimes parents become not so impartial and not know it. They buy and give as many items to each one not to give the impression of partiality. They tend to consider them children no matter how old they grow. Sometimes in doing so they unknowingly try to impose their way on children and advise an adult son or daughter. If the grown up children follow their own dream, sometimes parents get annoyed at them for ignoring their life long experience. "They are not being practical. They should not take that risk. Art or music is not going to cut it. Go for medicine or law or engineering." - well wishing parents would bemoan children's decision. The parents forget that they were their children's age or younger when they got married.

Parents leave eventually. Siblings (no matter how old they become and how far apart they live) are left to share their feelings, memories, and reminisce their childhood again as they begin to play parents to their children. They may not express their happiness, may not even have the childhood laughter, but they are excited at the sight and sound of their sibling brother or sister. Life goes on in a full circle.