Although my sister and I were always close, it was not until our mother passed away that we began to appreciate the friendship we had.  In my eyes, my sister has always been the most successful person, the most inspiring person and to this day remains the most influential person in my life.

I remember our mother always saying…’love your sister…there is nothing like sisters…you need to stick together’.  Those words will always be with me.

It was while I was at uni that I found myself struggling to find the perfect gift for my sister.  I wanted something that would be meaningful, that she did not already have and that would not cost me the earth.  I realised I was searching for something that I would never find.

I was searching for a gift that would show her how much I loved her…with that, I created my first ‘i love you because…’

we always stick together.

I remember that moment when I realised the gift, I wanted to get for my sister was not something I could buy off the shelf.  It was not something I could find in stores, nor was it something I could outsource and have someone make it for me.  I would need to invest my time, not my dollars if I was to create the perfect gift.  And that is what I did.

I went about gathering things that reminded me of my sister and times we had shared.  Some photos, some letters we had written when I first moved away (this was pre-Facebook days), I played some music we had danced to and I grabbed myself a drink.  I sat on the loungeroom floor with my things all spread out.  It was such an emotional experience.  One that made me feel so close to her, albeit 300km away.

As I sat and wrote my ‘i love you because…’ notes, one thing became evidently clear.  Every reason I wrote, every memory I had, every connection we shared…I knew that my sister and I would always stick together.

~ I dedicate this to my sister – Patricia Oliver

The post True Story No. 5 PAT first appeared on 365 Because.

The love I have for this amazing woman is the same I shared for my mother!  And I guess in many ways she is the closest I have to a mother…for this wonderful woman, is my Tia Pelusa, my mothers sister.  My Tia is the perfect evidence that blood is thicker than water!  She proves that although I may not have grown up near her, I was always a part of her.

While I don’t wish to reveal my age (it may or may not start with a 4), I would be lucky to have spent collectively a total of 18 months of my life with this beautiful woman…yet the bond we share is closer than many who may have spent a lifetime together.  It had been 19 years since I had last seen her…and yet I felt like I was coming home.  My Tia has this special talent of making me feel so loved.  “What’s your favourite food?” she asked…”What do you wish you could eat right now?” she asked…and just like that, it was in front of me ready to eat!

your love is unconditional

My Tia loves me…for me…her love is unconditional!

When I’d wake up with puffy eyes and matted hair, she would tell me I looked beautiful…when I felt silly and confused because I didn’t understand something, she would tell me how smart I was…when I’d complain because someone was rude to me, she would instantly defend me…even if I was wrong…no matter what, she would always take my side!  In her eyes, I could do no wrong.

My Tia is a powerful woman and someone I look up to.  She is someone who always has the best intentions.

I would sit for hours with her…looking over old photos and listening to her stories…many of which involved family members I only knew by name.  I especially loved listening to stories that involved my mother.  Her stories always made me laugh…and many made me cry!  But I always knew they were filled with warmth and genuine love.

I know that my mothers best friend was her sister…and for that, I will always love my Tia.

My Tia is someone I will always want on my side.

~ I dedicate this to my Tia – Maria Luisa Bernasconi

The post True Story No. 3 TIA PELU first appeared on 365 Because.