The Importance of Siblings

I know it's been a while since I've written anything but there is something I feel the need to share.
On Sunday evening (2 November 2014) or Monday morning (3 November 2014) my darling mother passed away. Living 11,000 miles away from my family I felt it only right to travel home. I had not been in South Africa since 2011 and have not lived there since 2007. Although my parents managed to visit me last year, my mom was very poorly and in my heart I knew that I would not see her alive again. My mother was a marvellous woman who worked hard everyday of her life and suffered severely because she spent all her time and effort looking after everyone else. My mother never drank and was always a lady. My mother sacrificed everything for her kids including her health, but my mother also loved her mom, dad and sisters (those who are passed on Beryl, Ray Avis and Sandy who's still alive).
I must admit that I found my mother's loyalty to her sisters strange, that is until I moved away from my siblings. I had always been close to my younger brother, but circumstances change and for a long time we have not been close. My older brother is a strange one, happy to help out wherever possible (except emotionally) but I refuse to ask him for help because I was unable to help him when he needed me most. My sister on the other hand is the kind of woman who also sacrifices everything for her family and through many tough times has always been there for everyone in any way she can (except financially).
Spending this last few days with my siblings has taught me one thing, my brothers and sister are the best friends I will ever have. There is nothing so bad or distance so far that will ever change that. Do we fight? Sure. Have we always been close? No. Are we going to remain close? Who Knows. BUT we are united by one of the most sincere emotions - GRIEF!

Today I publicly declare that I love and will miss my mom (and dad who thank God remains healthy and well at 78 years), her death however has brought home to me just how important my siblings are. Gavin, Lolly and Ryan are my best friends and we share the blood of great woman.
Thank you Mommy for not only giving me a great life, making sure I did not go without. Thank you for teaching me the importance of independence and earning my own living by working hard. Thank you for never being manipulative or playing us off against each other, but thank you most of all for bringing me my best friends.
I love you guys and miss you all already. Be safe!

In love and light Tracey
(Although this message focuss' on siblings, I must mention that my mother loved her nieces and nephews just much as her sisters, just as I love my nieces as much as my siblings. Let's face it BLOOD IS BLOOD!!.)