My Sister, My Teacher

These days, the Bees are very fond of perpetual sibling quibbles on a daily basis, but I guess that is very normal sibling behaviour at this age. However, there are pockets of halcyon affection between them, especially on busy days when they could not see each other for much of the day, and I know they had grown to depend on each other greatly.

These spells of sisterly tenderness never fail to infuse me with tingly warmth and gratified contentment - that amidst the stormy, turbulent world, the Bees would always have themselves and us as islands of unclouded assurance and unceasing love where they could find a harmonious shelter away from the turmoils of this harsh world. 

This evening was one wonderful example that uplifted my spirits. After work, I was asking Little Bee if she would like to record a brief entry in her journal about her field trip to Sentosa's Butterfly Park yesterday. 

She looked at me cheekily and quipped, "I had already done it, Mummy! Go look at my dairy!" 

I gazed at her with incredulity, my mind hovering between the thin, indistinguishable line of disbelief and trust. "Are you sure?" I ventured to ask. Little Bee responded with an excited "YES!" and vigorous nodding of her head. "Go check my diary NOW!"

Little Bee's diary

True enough, there was a new entry about her field trip with sketches of the butterflies in the park. I turned and praised her effusively, gushing, "You did this on your own?" Little Bee was hopping around in sheer ebullience and pride, proclaiming loudly, "Jie Jie asked me to write, and she helped me!"

I quickly praised Big Bee, who nodded in shy satisfaction and mumbled that she was just trying to help Little Bee jot down her field trip experience. It may be a brief entry, but it was their espirit de corps devotion that touched me. 

Little Bee's short journal entry

I am exultant to hear that Big Bee had been such a responsible big sister, encouraging Little Bee to write a journal entry and guiding her all the way. And I am also very pleased that Little Bee willingly listened to her big sister in obedience. 

I may seem to be over-reacting, but to me, in a phase of incessant sibling bickerings, this little episode of teamwork and sisterly affinity brought glorious sunshine to my heart tonight!

I do hope they will be pillars of stalwart support for each other in their long odyssey across the stormy oceans of life :)