One of the reasons that I'm fascinated by the "nature vs. nurture" discussion.

 

I was older than my sister by 27 months; raised in the same household by the same parents. She had a couple of severe childhood illnesses - viral meningitis and scarlet fever; we both had mumps, measles and chicken pox. She had very high fever with the serious ones - 105+; we often wondered if, in layman's terms, her brain got a bit fried and if that accounted for all of her later problems.

 

Long story short - polysubstance abuse, self-mutilation, two teen pregnancies and abortions, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, multiple hospitalizations in private and state mental hospitals (Shepherd-Pratt and Crownsville, in Maryland). And a whole raft of other stuff that I've forgotten. Lived in assisted housing, was never able to hold a job, and died at 45 of "natural causes" but I think she just wore out and gave up.

 

But for the grace of God...

 

Heartbreaking

3 total. One older sister, and two younger brothers.

I am the oldest and wisest. I have a brother who is a few years younger than me; he only works 1.5 days a week. My younger sister is lovely but spoiled rotten.

 

I am,perhaps, the "cream of the crop"

 

 

Seriously though, I do love my family!!!!

 

Blue, you may be looking at things from the wrong perspective. One is spoiled and one is not a slave to 'the man'. Maybe they have one up on us?:idunno:

Blue, you may be looking at things from the wrong perspective. One is spoiled and one is not a slave to 'the man'. Maybe they have one up on us?:idunno:

LOL---you may be right

Several have lost siblings. I can't imagine how painful that was for you.

 

I was only 10 and it was over 40 years ago when my sister died and I still get emotional at times when I talk about it. The most painful part is remembering the toll it took on my parents. I think they both aged 10 years the week of her funeral. I can't imagine the pain a parent feels when they lose a child, particularly a baby. My parents moved to Florida 30 years ago. Every trip they make to Louisville (once or twice a year) they go visit my sister's grave.

 

I often find myself wondering what kind of person she would have become.

 

When I bought my house from my Grandmother and started going through some of her possessions (with her permission) one of the things that I was most excited about finding was a picture of myself and all of my siblings taken less then a month before my sister died. I think it was the last picture taken of her. I scanned it and sent a copy of it to my mother. She called me in tears because she had never seen that picture. That was 7 years ago.