Clara Nina

this is clara:

the facts say she's my cousin.  the truth says she's my sister.  about a month ago, clara was hit by a frontrunner train.  the details of this accident are not important or the focus of this post.  clara is. 

she's been in the hospital since she was in the accident.  she moved out of the ICU on wednesday meaning that i got to go and visit her for the first time tonight.  she wasn't fully awake, but she was there.

clara is my childhood hero.  we shared a room at jacob lake for the summers during my formative years.  she's six years older than me and i thought (and think) that she was the coolest person to ever walk the earth.  if she cut her hair, i cut mine.  if she grew it out, so did i.  she had brown eyes, so i hated my blue.  she was 6 feet tall, that was my goal.  she had elastics for her braces, i strung them through my teeth.  she taught me about the finer things in life:

1)  scottish boys and their accents,
2)  lake powell,
3)  how to achieve the perfect tan,
4)  cinema,
5)  music,
6)  how to flirt,
7)  tasteful dance moves,
8)  the art of the mixtape,
9)  late night conversationing, and
10) basketball.

she also taught me the importance of being kind and generous, of making people feel included and important.  she taught me the power and strength of being sweet and gracious.  she showed me how to fight and how to strive for those things that are good and worthy.  she is funny, happy, and pure. she brings light along wherever she goes.  she's not afraid to get in and work and she won't stop until the job's finished.  she gives warmth to everyone she meets and is somehow unaware of the effect she always has.  she provided the best example i could have ever asked for.  she is the older sister i didn't have, but didn't need because she is there. 

clara has not changed a bit.  she is still strong, fighting, and beautiful.  she is still the woman that i want to be when i grow up, moreso now than ever.  with the Lord, our prayers, and her will, this will be overcome and added to her benefit.  and she continues to add to our benefit, just as she always has.