Taking one for the team

I’ve always been really competitive.

On reflection I think it started about the time I realised I wasn’t the first born son in the fourth generation of our farming family, when the first born son (my brother) was born when I was 18 months old. His birth heralded much excitement – he was named in the family tradition, a special bank account was opened for him and he was the long awaited heir to the farm. From somewhere between here and my first memories at around four, I had already worked out that in my world competing was an ace strategy (not that anyone was competing with me; they all just let me go for it!). I ate a lot of food I didn’t like and opened a lot of gates and chased a lot of sheep all in the name of winning.

I’m pretty sure I won; my Mum likes to say I’m just like my Dad. My siblings liked to snicker about “golden girl”…..

So now, I’m making up for it, coz I adore those two sisters and one brother of mine.

A couple of nights ago I was at my big sister’s house. She such a great sister and aunty and let my biggest girl and I lounge around while she made us pots of organic peppermint tea and fed us sugar free nougat. I was lamenting how unfair it was that they (my sister and her husband) met at a local pub many moons ago and still get to be in love. She sang a little ditty about “finding love in all the wrong places” and danced like they did when they met in the late eighties/early nineties across the beer garden.

And then she said:

“Thanks”
Me: “what for?”
Her: “well statistically about 50% percent of relationships fail right, so by you having all the break ups, we all get to stay together”.
Me: laughing, a lot….and feeling so much better about all my lamenting.

And you know what?

You’re welcome. I love you guys and your guys. I hope you all get forever with each other because that’s what I believe in, and if I’m helping with that, even better!

Statistically I think I’ve done my share for our family now though. I think I’ve redeemed all the times I dobbed on you when we were younger so I’d look good.

I am finally a team player! Yay for me!

PS This is the stuff you find on Pinterest when you search for “taking one for the team”!