Some lives are measured in years. Others are measured by the love they leave behind.
I’ve written about my little sister, Anna (named after my grandma), numerous times over the years. Every time I write about her, I remember something different: her infectious smile that could brighten anyone’s day, the sound of her sweet giggles, or a quiet moment that seemed so small then, but means everything to me now.
I was seven years old when Anna was born. She was my baby sister, and I absolutely adored her.
After school, she would stand at the window waiting for me to come home. Sometimes she’d run to the door with the biggest smile on her face, determined to carry my schoolbooks, even though they were almost as big as she was. We’d walk together, stopping to admire flowers, butterflies, and every little bug she could find. She loved picking wildflowers for Mama and would proudly hand them to her as though they were the most beautiful bouquet in the world.
Back then, I didn’t realize those little moments were becoming the memories I would treasure for the rest of my life.
When you’re nine years old, you don’t think about how quickly life can change. You don’t imagine that someone so small can leave such a lasting impact on your heart.
You see, Anna was only two years old when she died.
Her life was brief, but it was filled with love. She was cherished every single day she was with us, and she brought sunshine into our family. Even now, after all these years, I still think about her. I still miss her. I still wonder what kind of woman she would have become.
People often say that time heals all wounds. Perhaps what it really does is teach us how to carry our grief while the love remains forever.
In the years since losing Anna, I have found comfort in these words:
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
— Psalm 34:18
Love remains. It lives in our memories, in the stories we tell, and in the quiet moments when something unexpectedly reminds us of the people we’ve lost.
Anna will always be my baby sister. That is something time could never take away.
So today, on Anna’s birthday in Heaven, I’m honoring the little girl who loved flowers and butterflies, who brought so much love and sunshine into our family, who insisted on carrying my heavy schoolbooks into the house. Although her time with us was far too short, the love she gave continues to live on.
I miss her every day. And as long as I can tell her story, she will never be forgotten.
She loved picking flowers for Mama.
I like to think she’s still surrounded by them.
I share more of Anna’s story in Chapter 4, “The Little Green Dress,” in my book, Running In Heels: A Memoir of Grit and Grace. This time, though, I simply wanted to remember the little girl she was, the one who waited at the window for me, made those afternoons feel special, and found joy in the smallest things.
“And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
— 1 Thessalonians 4:18
From Heart to Heritage
I’m so sorry to hear of the loss of your lovely, dear little sister. A beautiful tribute to her and to your enduring love for her. 💛
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Thank you, Lynette, for the sentiment. It means a great deal to me.
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Thank you for sharing such a tender and beautiful piece of your heart. Your love for your sister shines through every word, and it’s clear her memory is cherished deeply.
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Thank you so much. Although she has been gone for so many years, writing about her still touches a very tender place in my heart. I’m grateful that through sharing her story, her memory can live on and touch someone else’s heart, too.
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So, so very true!
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What a hard thing for any family to endure. I love the image of your little sister waiting for you to come home from school.
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Thanks, Pete. That little image of my sister waiting for me after school has stayed with me all these years. It’s one of those bittersweet memories that I’ll always treasure.
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Mary, this story brought tears. I see that infectious smile, in the photo. Thankful that you’ll see her again in heaven. Those reunions will be so amazing! My husband has a sister he never met. She was a 9 month stillborn. We can’t wait to meet her, too. Blessings, as you miss her Anna down here and wait for the time you see her in heaven.
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Thank you so much for your beautiful and heartfelt words, Sue. And thank you for sharing about your husband’s sister. I’m sorry he never had the opportunity to meet her here on earth, but what a blessed hope we have that one day, in Heaven, you will both meet her and know her. What a glorious reunion that will be! As Christians, we grieve the ones we love, but we don’t grieve without hope. Knowing that we will see our loved ones again is one of the precious promises we have because of Christ. Until that day, we carry them in our hearts and look forward to the reunion that awaits us. Blessings to you both, and thank you for reading my post and sharing your heart with me.
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The gift Anna left you of memories of love, devotion, and warmth will always be yours. I think the Lord loans us sweet people like this for a time to remind us that this isn’t home, this isn’t where we were meant to live, and that something better awaits us. I’m looking forward to meeting her one day in heaven.
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Oh, Dayle, thank you! Your beautiful words brought me to tears. I had never thought of it quite that way, but I love the thought that the Lord loans us certain precious people for a time. Anna was only with us for two years, yet her little life left a love that has lasted a lifetime. Thank you for reminding me that this is not our forever home, and that one day I’ll see my baby sister again. What a beautiful thing to look forward to.
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