xpect themIf you can’t tell by now, I’m big on intraspection.  Understanding who am as a

person, and who I am not, is a life-long, on-going process that may be beneficial in the long run but not always comfortable or fun. I award full credit to three people for sending me on this lengthy journey of constant curiosity and self-exploration. Ironically, these same three people would happily cut the odyssey short and save me the trouble of contemplating my place in the world if I would simply pick up the phone and ask their opinion. Not coincidentally, they all share the same title; sister.

 

Sisters are an enigma.  A sister is the first person who will pick you up and put you back together when you need it the most but they will also cut you to the quick when they deem it necessary.  This tipping point is completely arbitrary, at their sole discretion and fluctuates greatly depending on the last thing you did to them or for them. They will go to the grave with your deepest secret but will not hesitate to drop the dime when you are trying to eat food in the living room which was strictly forbidden.  At times they may fight with each other and seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum.  Don’t be fooled, however, they will spontaneously unite and be more in sync than Joey Fatone and Lance Bass if you intervene.

Despite their ambiguous tendencies, I consider myself lucky to have three older sisters. They are each very different and yet it’s easy to see the common thread.
Kathy is the oldest.  She’s a very smart, logical, fun, outgoing person with a strong sense of conviction and humor.  She brutally honest and now that I don’t live with her, I love her for it.

Nancy is without a doubt the strongest most determined person I have ever met. She has her challenges but nothing stands in her way.  She was a tough act to follow as a kid. I had no excuses. Watching her overcome obstacle after obstacle shaped the way I view the world.

Chris is the closest to me in age being 6 years older. I felt so special when she would let me hang out with her “cool friends” only to be crushed when they repeatedly sent me errands and vanished upon my return.  Looking, back this reeks of Lucy pulling the football from Charlie Brown. Despite her therapy inducing hijinx, Chris was always the compassionate one. As the family aged, she emerged as an amazing leader. There is nothing any of us would not do for her because we know she would do the same for us.

Looking back, I undoubtedly fulfilled my role as the baby brother. But I would argue I was equal part tormentor and victim. That being said, this positive review would not have always been the case but age tends to open the eyes and soften the heart. As much as they provided my need for therapy, they also furnished their own brand.  They’ve always been a Tailwind and they always will be.  Well…. except maybe the time Kathy looked me straight in the eyes and said “I don’t like you”.  That stung a little.

 

 

I am the youngest of 5 siblings. This junior level status came with a certain amount of drawbacks. A discounted opinion, hand-me-downs from a bygone era, and a confirmed seat at the dinner table only when someone was absent, were just a few off the top of my head.  I will, however, freely admit that for the most part, my positioning had more

advantages than headwinds.  Those that came before me paved the way and set precedents for what was to be expected from a McCarty child. By the time I came along, my parents had seen it all and were either surprised by nothing or too tired to debate my nonsense. As such, if my childhood was the equivalent of a sailing ship in the Caribbean, I picture my brother Justin’s as the Icebreaker through the Arctic.
Justin is the oldest, and we are 12 years apart.  Being the only two boys in the group, he was firmly established as the guy I wanted to be.  He played guitar, didn’t try to make me play with Barbies like my sisters, had cool albums with bands named Black Sabbath, Led Zepplin, and obscure singer-
songwriters like Harry Chapin.  He was a gymnast and took me to see Rocky without our parents’ permission.  At 10 years old, it didn’t get much cooler than that in my opinion.

 

When we were younger, he paved the way by breaking in Mom and Dad as parents. I wasn’t around to verify, but rumor has it they weren’t as tolerant of his shenanigans as they were mine.  My response, of course, is it was all about the subtleties in the execution.

Regardless, Justin still sets an example as one of the most generous and

helpful people I know.  Music tastes may change, I was eventually able to drive myself to see Rocky, but there are some characteristics I will never stop admiring or equal.

 

Happy belated Birthday, Big Brother.  Keep being you and thanks for the lifetime of Tailwinds.