My best friend’s sister



First of all, I have been blessed with a wonderful sister and the best friend in the world.

They have both put up with me for a lot of years, and really my best friend had once been my boss.

We have more than 30 years of friendship tied up together and have admitted that we can’t break that bond ever as we both know too much about each other to ever part.

She worked with me, taught me, helped me through a divorce, various health issues, marriage, kids and grandkids and so much more. Where I am going with this is that there are 19 years between my sister and myself, often feeling like another mother (lovingly) and there are 17 years between my best friend and her sister.

I knew my friend’s sister but not extremely well — but she jumped up when I was going through my cancer walk and even made me a hat that came below my ears and we had a great laugh (yes, she fixed it).

Cheryl also is a very talented person in many areas and very creative and I came to find out how creative when a sewing and quilting group came back from seeing an exhibit of bras that was on display in Hershey by the American Cancer Society.

This group of about 18 to 20 always takes a retreat in November and decided to present the idea of bras that were decorated in honor or memory of someone with breast cancer.

Cheryl is a part of this group that decided to take on the project. The normally laughing and giggling group became silent as they began their work, each person either had a family member or knew of someone who had been touched by breast cancer.

These angels then proceeded to work and pray about those they knew who had breast cancer or had been lost to the disease.

As a group of quilters always names their quilts, they decided to name theirs in memory or honor of the person they were making the bra about. The talents and personalities started to form as they worked on the bras — and the lingerie exhibit has been displayed since 2006 all over the area.

The display is on a white lace tree with lights and the bras hung on the tree. It states, “Early detection saves lives.”

Here comes the part that floored me.

I am on that tree.

My bra is there and has my name on it and, I am told, my personality.

I was honored and astonished that she would have thought of me and taken the time effort and talent to create this honorarium. I am very humbled by the fact that I am a part of this tree.

Recently all four of us took a sisters weekend, the likes of which you cannot imagine.

We laughed until we cried and talked until we were begging for sleep.

Yes, I am blessed even if I have to play dominoes with my best friend and I will treasure the bond that we have, as well as the bond I have with my sister and the bonds as a group we have grown.

The bras are still traveling and have recently made it to my new home on the hill and will be on display there as we work to bring awareness and understanding and education about breast cancer.

Stop out and see them, and me — but you will have to look for my bra on the tree as I am not telling.

PS: Another sisters retreat is in the making.