I had a thought today as I was getting my 'Spiritual' on, about the wonders of "Sisterhood". Having spoken to one of my three sisters just the other day, I'm reminded again of how close we are and have always been, even throughout the trying times of pre-teen/ young womanhood, where we were snippy and selfish in our quest to become number 1 in the battle for our parents affections... You know those, "It's all about me" years. As the seasons change and we become separated by miles, our sisterly love continues to abound. I think of this particular sister because of something she'd relayed to me as we spoke during one of our long distance gabfest rituals. My sister who resides in Oklahoma sometimes works as caregiver for the elderly. One particular assignment she'd rarely worked for was up again and she readily accepted...It was with 2 sisters, one in her 70s, the other 90s. The elder sister had fallen and broken her hip . After leaving the hospital, this sister was placed in the home and care of her 'younger' sister. The younger sister, still agile, went about the business of tending to her business. My sister was warned that the elder sister was suffering from "Dementia" and was not to be taken seriously... The Story: Elder Sister: " I had a good life living in my own home . I haven't seen my house, or, been allowed to speak to anyone since coming to live with my sister. I'm not even allowed to call my bank to check on my affairs. My sister does everything. I don't get to wear my own clothes and I'm always hungry." "You see those beautiful chairs, those are mine, they came out of my house... Do you have a cellphone?" I'd like to call *John to ask about my affairs." My Sister: "You know, I might not be able to come here again to take care of you, if I give you my cellphone?" Needless to say, my sister did just that! She was promptly reprimanded, after being ratted out by a visiting nurse and informed that the "elder" sister had dementia and hasn't been allowed back to this particular home again. My sister , in her own defense, tells me that the woman during her watch was indeed 'lucid'. That she knew the number she wanted to call. That the converation seemed to flow between the two and that the woman seemed happy and pleased to be conversating with a trusted friend... I often write about my passion for the elderly. To think that family and elder abuse sometimes goes hand and hand, becomes so disheartening. When I think about sisters, I think upon a love that flows like rivers of time... "All things are not what they seem." I can only pray that in this case, the saying is true.