I continually ponder over why my sister and I are so different, despite have grown up in the same family.  She is a successful doctor.  I am a successful… a successful… … well then.

Not only do she and I have the same parents, but we were both very involved in sports AND 4-H growing up.  And here’s where our differences begin.

She apparently very much values her past sports experiences, and now her kids are super-involved in sports.  My beloved 11-year-old nephew, shown in the photo with my own son, is a four-sport 6th grader.  Four-sport!  My sister’s entire family takes the kids’ sports very seriously.  (I knew we were in trouble when I saw my sister had tears in her eyes after my nephew’s baseball team lost out of a tournament when he was 9.) I, on the other hand, have difficulty taking it seriously.  I constantly feel called upon to crack a good joke when I am spectating from the sidelines.  I mean, they’re just kids, right?

Conversely, I remember my 4-H days very fondly.  I think of 4-H as a life-shaping organization and look forward to getting my kids involved.  My sister, though, has been leery to jump on the 4-H bandwagon with her kids.  I do think she enjoyed participating in 4-H, but as a parent she might see it as a whole lot of work for the benefit gained.

So this morning I was once again puzzling over life and finally put it together.  Whereas my sister has always valued teamwork, I thrive on individual competition.  And that’s why she loves sports and I love 4-H!  She loves teamwork!  I love independence! We are both Americans!

I just love it when I have a psychiatric breakthrough!  It makes me feel like I’m learning new things about myself and the world around me every day.