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Thursday, February 11, 2010

Every Little Girl Needs A Big Brother

On this day four years ago, my brother Bill was finally released from his battle with pancreatic cancer.  I don't talk about that much.  So I will move on quickly to talk about what made him such a great big brother.  When I was three my father was killed in a fire and my big brother, 16 at the time, decided his little sister needed someone to act like a dad in her life.  And he volunteered.  He took me fishing, let me sit in his lap and think I was really driving that car, came home from college to take me trick or treating, and was my escort to the Blue Bird Father/Daughter Banquet.

When I was a teenager Bill lived about 10 hours away.  We visited his home a couple of times each year.  During each visit he would take me on a date for pizza or something - just the two of us.  He would act like a gentleman and treat me like a lady and tell me that was how I should expect to be treated.  Years later when I became engaged to my husband, Bill called, and with a smile in his voice, he asked who the jerk was that thought he would dare to marry Bill's little sister!  He was just a tad bit protective.

The worktable I use in my studio was Bill's kitchen table.  We sat at it and talked many times.  It makes me feel like my big brother is still a part of my creative endeavor to have the table in my studio.


Here is a collage I created for him when he first got sick.  It says "Every little girl needs a big brother".  And the sun is saying "Go Pokes".  The man's blood ran orange for Oklahoma State University.  And he did a good job of brain washing his little sister.  In Bill's last months his little granddaughter was just learning to talk.  To his delight her first sentence was "Go Pokes!".

Bill always loved me, always believed in me, and always encouraged me to be all I could be.  And I miss him.  I hope you have someone like Bill in your life.  And I hope you can be someone like Bill in someone else's life.






8 comments:

Brenda Lynn said...

E- I am so happy and comforted to know that you had Bill in your life, then and now. What a wonderful and loving MAN he was to take his little sister under his loving wings at that time in his life, and yours. That speaks volumes of his character and loving soul. How very fortunate you were. But then again, so was he. 'o) Thank you for introducing and sharing your big brother with us. I like and admire him very much. Blessings, my friend.

whyte said...

I'm very touched by your blog entry, Elizabeth. How fortunate you were to have a brother who loved you so much and be a Father for you. That was a great gift! I love that your are using his table. I am using my Grams kitchen table for my worktable in my studio. Everytime I sit down to it, I see her and feel her near.

Glenda-TwoCoolTexans said...

Oh, Elizabeth, I was blessed to read about your big brother. You KNOW that he now beholds the face of our Father in heaven. Wow, made me cry this morning.
It is so wonderful that you are using his table, I bet you do smile often when you sit down to work. What a gift to have had him and to have that rememberance.

NANCY LEFKO said...

What a beautiful tribute to your brother....he certainly was a special man even at the young age of 16. You were blessed to have him watching out for you.

Annette Tait said...

Elizabeth you have such a wonderful brother and to work at your special table every day will be very comforting :)
thank you so much for sharing such a personal part of your life and memories

Covered in Chocolate Bakery Shoppe said...

A beautiful memory, a wonderful way to remember your brother and thank you for sharing with your readers.

My father fought the same cancer. I also miss him greatly.

Kathy said...

Thru some tears I also was moved by this tribute to your brother Bill. What a fantastic relationship you both shared, and still do through your wonderful memories of him. So nice that you work at his table, I am sure it is a very nice feeling for you. So happy you shared this with us.

Elizabeth Johnson said...

Thank you all for such kind and heart felt remarks.

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