I first met Sissie Twiggs in 1978, six months before my mom died. We were 16 and because Sissie was born in October, she beat most of us to the DMV and was one of the first to buy a car soon after getting her drivers license, it was a (used) bright yellow Beetle convertible :-) which often times included at least four or more of us riding around Raleigh, NC with Sissie as our trusted guide. After my mom died, I was sent to a boarding school that was located in Raleigh, which meant I still saw my friends who did not attend St. Mary's, although not as often as I would have liked. Whenever Sissie and I ran into each other, we shared an immediate, easy connection; I was always attracted to her positive attitude and outlook on life, as well as her wicked smart sense of humor. We both ended up at UNC for college and thankfully our paths intersected through a common interest in the first-of-its-kind exercise studio that had opened close to the Chapel Hill campus. It was there at Shackelford's Exercise Studio that Sissie and I began working together, eventually both teaching (see first photo below in front of the studio) and growing our friendship through a deeper understanding of our southern roots and family histories. In Astrological terms I have often heard that Scorpio (Sissie) and Pisces (me) create a splendid, compatible blend "typically comprised of much respect and understanding, which creates a keen insight into one anothers mind and heart". This is actually how it has always felt between me and Sissie. We are now 51 years old and a lot of life has happened for both of us since the days of VW's, unitards and leg warmers. Although our friendship never required frequent visits to stay close, we always appreciate our time together and immediately click into a comfortable, authentic gear. One of those great opportunities ended this morning when I dropped Sissie off at the airport after five magical days together. It was important to me that we re-enact the two pictures below, 30 years later, she was a good sport. My mom always said that if you can count your true friends on one hand you are rich. I am so blessed and lucky to be loved by Sissie Twiggs, a woman I adore who definitely has my back and me hers. And she also has ... one of my fingers.
