Trios are my lot in life.

"I feel it a shelter to speak to you."

-Emily Dickinson

It's funny to think about life these days.

Dad always likes to remind us that the essence of life is Relationships.

Relationships between us and God first, then between us and our families, then sweethearts, and friends, and so on down the line.

I have such a variety of relationships right now that it really makes one's head dizzy. Especially when you think about the intricacy and complication of some of the individual ones. I have family relationships, I have here and now relationships with friends I see fairly often. I have relationships with friends I see not-so-often. I have a whole group of online friends like you girls, a group of writing friends, a group devotional blog friends, and then my relationships with my characters. (Which, for a writer, are real ones!)
These relationships vary in intensity and complexity. :D For instance: Levi and I are nearly twenty years apart, so that means that when he is just getting married I'll be The Older Sister Rachel who may or may not be married and will probably stand like a specter in the corner smiling benevolently while Levi swaggers down the aisle with a beautiful bride on his arm. ....it's strange to think about the future in that respect. :)

Then you have current-day relationships like making sure I'm spending quality time with all of the wee ones who surround me right now. I have five younger sisters...am I behaving in a way I want them to remember me on that day when Levi and Grace are starting families on their own?

Then, of course, you have what I have mentally termed "The Triangle" which consists of me and Daniel and Abigail...Daniel and Abigail increasingly close and me tagging along behind, learning to let them go and love this new relationship between the three of us. It is going very well, I think. I am tranquil and peaceful and make fun of them for setting their watches in the Lover's Time Zone which has no concept of hours and minutes. ;)

It's actually very funny to think back on my life and how the Lord has prepared me for this Triangular season. You see, much like Anne Shirley always had her twins, I've always had my Trios. It started five days after I was born when Katie Wilson was born. We've been friends since that first day, along with her older sister, Morgan. I grew up learning the fine art of busting that myth that "Two's company, three's a crowd." It just couldn't be true for me so I didn't let it be true.

Then when I got to be fourteen, fifteen, sixteen...somewhere around there, I met two more dear sisters who made up my second trio: Joanna and Maryanna. Our relationships weren't perfect then either. We had to work out the kinks of spending enough quality time with each person. And really, I've always been on the business end of the trio. I've always been the one dividing myself between the two. :] (At least in these cases)

Right now I have a triple set of trios...Morgan, Katie, and I, Joanna, Maryanna, and I, and Daniel, Abigail, and I.

"Trios are my lot in life!" ;)

God knew that He had this season between Daniel and Abigail coming up and He's been training my since I was five days old for it. :D Isn't that wild? But He does work in these ways sometimes and I am so glad that I have some experience in dealing with a threesome so that getting used to these new dynamics isn't as painful as it might have been.

...But it still feels at times like I'm stuck in a period-drama....everyone getting married and moving off and "saving China." ;) Ah....that's life! <3