I loved her more

My big sister and I have of late, developed a new and genuinely close relationship, far better than we've enjoyed in the past. It wasn't really planned but just happened. I was unaware we didn't have a close relationship until recently. For as long as I've remembered I've been jealous of people around me that had siblings as friends. A girl I once worked with Tracy, had a brother that would come to the office to lunch with her and they would talk often about the family BBQ's and functions the entire family would commit to. I blame myself for not exactly facilitating this with my siblings as time and distance took its toll. I could have tried harder yes but that's in the past and so now I find myself here.
I've thought about this and consider what played the main roles in this story.
Firstly, Dad was left alone after mum had to be put in the dementia ward and well, he needed to know family was close. Bronwyn and I would talk lots about his care and what was to come of him and pretty much took control as our other siblings were not well placed to contribute. The work was really all done by her as the eldest and I sort of tidied up in the background and did any heavy lifting (literally) with cleaning out his home prior to downsizing. I know Dad was an excellent dad just by how Bronwyn has handled his affairs. I could not have been able to do a tenth of the job she did and I am ever so thankful and love her more for it. Her abilities and efforts made it possible for Dad to be the most comfortable he could ever contemplate being. She is quite possibly the perfect daughter to him. I loved her more for how she looked after my dad.
Second, Bron has over the past few years gone thru a shitty and messed up divorce and well I just felt for her and was ever vigilant in calling to see if all was OK and let her vent to a nonjudgmental and empathetic ear. Hearing her stories and just wanting to help but being unable to was tough but no where near as tough as what she had to endure. I had felt her unhappiness throughout her entire married life but how can you ever say that? How can you tell your sister she made the wrong decision 25 years ago? It was not my place and I trusted that things would be right one day and I was right. My gorgeous niece and nephews whom I would not change in a million years were the upside of that relationship for her. I loved her more for taking charge of her own happiness.
Bron moved to within a few km of me. Since she was 18 and moved away from home we've never lived closer than 100km to each other and for the past 10 years its been 1000km. This all changed some months back when Bronwyn and her true love Roger moved up here. They could well have gone anywhere else in the city and made it harder to see them but they chose my backyard. It's stupid but to run into your sister whilst doing the grocery shopping is just so lovely an experience. To see her every few days and see her growing happiness that's been missing for such a long time, is truly a blessing. I loved her more for being close.
I've been lacking motivation to write for a long time now but upon thinking it was time to get back to it, it was a simple choice because I loved her more.