Today as I sit in reflective contemplation and peaceful peace I know without reservation the importance of embracing and living the notion that I Am My Sister’s Keeper and that I Am My Sister’s Friend. It is an ideal idea that not only warms the spirit, but it enlightens our sensibilities giving meaning and purpose to sisterhood and sister/ship which for me is just an offshoot of fellowship. It really is a beautiful thing. And it is also a weighty yet awesome responsibility that blesses us with an opportunity to let the light of our humanity shine. Yes, I Am My Sister’s Keeper, I Am My Sister’s Friend.

Truth is that I didn’t always feel this way, nor did I even consider it. And still there are some days when I have to remind myself to remember this. Sometimes with clenched teeth and fists, and a not-so-strong conviction. But at the core, I know it to be a necessary “so”. This understanding was strengthened in me last year on September 11, 2020 when I lost my only biological sister to the dreaded disease of cancer, only to find myself loved, embraced, and supported by a community of women who let me know in no uncertain terms that they were/are This sister’s keeper and that they were/are This sister’s friend. And they too are My Sisters to who I am also Keeper and Friend.

So, purposefully I have chosen this moment in time to speak about the divine relationship that has been given to women and girls to share with one another. It is comprised of a richness that can only be found in the presence of another sister-women-girl-friend. Sometimes it is a roomful of boisterous laughter or a table of intimate giggles. Sometimes it an intense conversation that includes a “hold on let me plug in my phone” because the battery has run down trying to withstand the power of the content that is being shared. Sometimes it is idle check-in talk and other times it may be advice, direction, and guidance that can only be received from the lips of your sister-friend. And then sometimes it’s those moments of “you better not tell nobody but God” confidences that you know will be kept inviolate and will only be heard if the grave can speak.

Within the goodness and divinity of this relationship, and in the hope that we as sisters and friends can maintain our opportunities and celebrations of laughter, shared triumphs, joys, sorrows, dinners, drinks, hanging out, vacations, holidays together, and more, and more, and more, at this juncture, I am stepping into my Sister’s Keeper Friend high heels and making it my business to remind us all;

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. If you have not had your mammogram, schedule it and go get it. If you have had it already, encourage a sister-woman-girl-friend to schedule and go get one. If you are afraid, ask someone to go with you. Yes, the “Titty smash” machine is uncomfortable as hell. It’s like a speculum for the breast except that it doesn’t penetrate your flesh, though the discomfort is comparable. And no matter the size of your girls, - it will hurt and will make you cuss if you are inclined to do so or utter a silent prayer. (I probably do some of both). But it is worth it and necessary to get checked annually when you are of the age to do so or if a family member has had cancer. I go every year with trepidation because there are times I have had to go back for additional tests and have been part of the breast clinic for monitoring. That’s when it became more than uncomfortable. It was scary. But I prayed and was brave and did what was necessary.

I implore you my dear sisters, to not allow fear to rob you of your chances for a full and rich life, as weighed against the price of momentary discomfort or anxiety. In this regard, cowardice and ignorance are not on your side. Cancer is insidious, indiscriminate, unrelenting, and unforgiving.

So Please, Please, for love and life’s sake, go get your mammogram. And please, share this with a sister.