May 1, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. The May Queen.

My sister Carol had her birthday on the first of May. Today I celebrate her birth. Besides my brother Dave, who always comments to me on the phone about Carol's birthday, I wonder how many other people celebrate her birthday. Carol was a good sister and I still miss her. My sister was born in 1935, before anyone knew about milk allergies for babies. I had been told that my Mother was never able to nurse the babies so Carol was fed formula which she rejected so she was always hungry. And she cried a lot as a baby. It must have been difficult for both parents. When I was born two and a half years later and I did not cry a lot, everyone was delighted and surprised. My brother Dave, who was three and a half years older than Carol, did not cry either as a baby, but no one seemed to connect the formula with the crying. When Carol was able to eat pablum, she stopped crying. All her life she was not able to digest milk. My Mother told me this story about Carol. My brother Dave was playing with his toy train which he pushed around on a wooden track. Carol was a toddler and kept removing the engine from the train. After this happened several times, Dave, who was about 5, got upset and finally said to Carol, "Gosh Carol. I wish I had never asked God to bring you to us". Carol was a whiz with a needle. She could sew early in her life. And she never stopped. All my life at home she looked after my hair and made me clothes. And we hung around with the same friends at church. So we were good buddies as kids. She died too young at 77. I wish she was here to celebrate her 86th birthday. I have been fortunate all my life with my family. My brother and I have always been good friends. I hear of other families who have unpleasantness with their family members, but not us. We get along. And today I feel grateful that I knew my sister Carol for 77 years. And I wish she was here today.