My Hero

 

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Mary Beth was my hero,
Not more than a few
Years older than me
But she knew things,
I had yet to learn,
Yet to understand.

Yes, there were times when
Her harsh words assaulted me,
Lashing into the soft skin
Of my child size ego, but
She was there to protect me
From those who tried to
Belittle or hurt me with
Unkind words or actions.

I used to work so hard
To be like her, I would
Dress like her,
Comb my hair like her,
Try my very best to
Stand like her.

She would say
I was mocking her,
But in reality,
I wanted to be like her.

Years passed and
As sisters we experienced
Joys and pains, times
When not a word was
Spoken to the other and
Times when we only
Spoke to each other.

We did not grow to
Be perfect people,
My sister and I.
We grew to understand
And respect each other.
Most importantly we learned
To rely on each other.

We were there for each other
Through our parents' divorce,
Through unplanned pregnancies
And graduation celebrations,
Through abusive boyfriends
And finding the loves
Of our lives.

Mary Beth was my hero
And now she is
My best friend.