“Happy Birthday!” to Sherri Purcell, Clarkesville, GA

I remember when we were kids — I couldn’t have been more than six — my sister Sherri and I were sitting at our family’s kitchen table in Columbus, GA. We were eating oranges when I accidentally swallowed a seed. Given that at that point in my life I still hadn’t learned how to swallow a pill, I panicked. I thought I was going to die. Seems silly now, but I can still feel that rush of adrenaline the moment I thought to myself, “This is it.”

(Years of self-analysis have since led me to believe my fear was rooted in stories my older sister Debbie told me about a girl who grew tomato plants out of her head, but, I digress.)

My sweet sister Sherri, who’s three years older than me and a far better person than I, saw I was upset. I told her what happened, said I didn’t want to die alone and asked if she’d swallow a seed, too.

She did.

What relief I felt then. What gratitude I feel now. To know that my sister loved me enough to swallow an orange seed — uncertain of the consequences but certain she loved me — meant the world to me.

It still does.

Sherri is celebrating her birthday today. At work. On a national holiday. Labor Day, nonetheless.

But that’s her.

She’s dependable and hard working, reliable and punctual. She’s sweet, loving, kind and caring. She works six days a week at Fieldale in Cornelia and Sundays in the church nursery in Clarkesville. She’s held a generation of babies in her arms at Bethlehem Baptist.

Sherri loves children…

…and she loves me.

She proved it that night in Columbus and she’s proven it over and over again in the years since.

And so, on this very special day I want to say “Thank you.” Thank you Sherri for loving me, protecting me and helping me through the years. Thank you for being constant and true. I don’t say it often enough and I know I still pick on you too much (it’s just so much fun) but I want you to know how very special you are to me, how much I love you and how absolutely proud I am of all that you’ve accomplished in life.

You’re more than my sister, you’re one special lady, and I’m grateful to God you’re in my life.

Happy Birthday, Sis!