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The Day the Fighting Stopped

How my brothers and I found our way back to each other

Nadine Bjursten
The Daily Cuppa

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Four siblings with their arms around each other looking out over the valley at a sunset.
Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash

Siblings sometimes lose sight of their adult selves when they meet. Old slights appear behind a look or comment, and suddenly, successful professionals (and parents) start acting like kids.

I thought of this when my dad had a life-threatening stroke this year, and my brothers and I traveled from our homes in different parts of the world to be there for him and our mom.

We made lots of noise.

Old patterns and wounds surfaced in the chaos of trying to get information and manage all the details, but then there was a moment when the sound of grinding metal stopped.

The tiniest sliver of sun cast its pattern on our dad’s blanket as we idled on different sides of his bed.

No one said anything, and we didn’t need to.

Our dad was still with us, and we loved him.

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