Sarah and "Little Women"

I didn’t grow up having a sister. For years now I’ve said, “But I have two daughters. That’s even better.”

One thing I love to do with my daughters is watch movies.

With Rebecca, we watch videos at her place, and she patiently turns the movie off again and again to explain what’s happening or to tell me what someone said that I missed.

Sarah and I do that, too, but we’ve also seen several shows in the theater. For that, she usually gives me a brief summary of the story first, so I’ll be able to tell what’s happening when it’s hard to hear in the theater.

This Christmas break, we decided to go see “Little Women.”

This time, I could hear most of what went on, but I was still glad Sarah had told me the story first.

She told me that there had been at least three movies made from the book, in 1933, one in 1994 and the most recent, before the one we saw in the theater, in 2017.

We went home from the theater and watch the 1994 version. Next day, the one from 2017. And the next day, from 1933.

Sarah asked if I minded watching them over and over with her. If she could only know how honored I was for her to ask me.

And, even on the last, we still stopped the video frequently to discuss who and what and where, as I grew to know the details better.

Four different interpretations of a beautiful story, four sisters, living during and after the Civil War.

As children, playing and laughing and fighting.

As young women, talking of marriage, helping each other get dressed and fix their hair, sharing their dreams and gripes and thoughts.

As women, moving apart, moving together again, dealing with sorrows and joys and learning to love life.

What a fun time to spend with Sarah.

Also, talking with Ping-Hwei and Murray as they moved around us, begging them to get us snacks and drinks, playing with our cat. I thought, “Look at all the fun I missed, not watching TV with the family as the kids grew up.”

Nah. Why regret what I didn’t do. Instead, I’ll thank God for the lovely gifts He’s giving me now.

We plan to visit Rebecca the end of March. I think I’ll ask her to start looking for a movie or two for us to watch together while I’m there.