A Tale of Two Sisters—A Modern Day Allegory
Once upon a time, there was an older sister named Millie. She had two siblings. It was decreed that she would receive another sibling. Millie already felt a huge responsibility for her existing brother and sister. She cooked. She cleaned. She tended. She thought the mother was too old to have another baby. But Heavenly Father knew best and a child was born: A younger sister. It was decided that this baby girl would be called Abby.
Abby and Millie shared mothers but had different fathers, meaning Abby would be a half-sister. Millie had watched the example of the mother concerning half siblings. The mother had 6 half-sisters and half-brothers: They were mostly ignored by her mother and there was little or no communication—there were no relationships with half-siblings. But this was not to be with Abby and Millie. They were “sisters”. The term “half-sister” was not used and mostly forgotten.
Millie cared for, tended and loved Abby. Because they were many, many years apart, Millie was more like a second mother rather than a sister. Many strangers mistook Millie for the mother. Sometimes Millie resented this, but love softened her heart and she adored Abby.
Many years passed. Millie went off to college. She missed Abby terribly—her tender hugs, her sweet I luv you’s—but came home for Christmas and summers. Millie married and started a family of her own. Abby and their mother soon moved nearby. The families were close and participated in many activities together. Abby played with Millie’s children like siblings, because they were so close in age. Abby grew into a typical teenager. One afternoon, Millie’s daughter was hurt inside her heart and asked, “Why doesn’t Abby want to play with us anymore? Doesn’t she like us?” Millie explained that sometimes a teenager’s friends are more important than family. Millie’s daughter understood but was thankful for any time Abby spent with her and her brothers.
Abby went to college. She met a wonderful young man and married. Within a few years, she, too, had her own little family.
Time flew by. Children played and grew strong. The only constant was Change. Millie became bold and confident, often forgetting to think before speaking. Abby became a very delicate and complex adult, often taking offense to others’ benign actions and words. Abby reacted to her hurt by shunning the offenders—family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances.
One day, Abby asked Millie a question. Millie answered thoughtlessly. The words spilled over her lips and flew through the air before she could retrieve them. It was done. Feelings were hurt. Grudges were nurtured.
Millie felt bad and wanted forgiveness. She desired to start over, to move forward. She wanted the love and admiration of her sister Abby. Millie sought the advice of the mother. The elderly mother told Millie that she could not start over: there was no blank slate for Millie, only humble pie. Millie grieved. Was this the Christian way she had been taught? Abby would not be moved. She had forgotten all the times she had been forgiven for misdeeds and thoughtlessness. Millie reached out numerous times but to no avail. The damage was done. Though her Father in Heaven had long ago forgiven her, Abby, it seemed, would not.
Millie surrounded herself with those she loved and loved her in return. She opened her home as a refuge to many friends and family members. All that lived and came into her home delighted in what she, her husband, and family offered. She continued to learn and progress and had a very fulfilled and loving life. But in her heart, Millie still mourned the loss of Abby, and increasingly the loss of her mother, who stood with Abby in all things.
