So there have been a few people who in the past have found great enjoyment in the sisterly love displayed by my older sister Lindsey and I. And then there have been a few who just like to have us around for pure entertainment factors, as if we are a 3D version of the latest comedy flick. So here's the thing...I don't always think she's so funny. In fact in my bank of memories she resembles more of a never-ending horror flick!! Let's go back in history a bit...
Freshmen year of High School...1994...first day of school:
Lindsey being the ever popular Senior and I the little freshman sister of the ever popular Lindsey received a bit of advice upon my entering the roller coaster ride called High School. I believe it is so ingrained in my memory that I can actually recall word for word what she said to me.
"Tristen, I'm going to tell you something that I wish someone would have told me. You're not going to get by on your looks so you better have a dang good personality!"
Now...let that sink in for a minute and ask yourself how you would respond to that. I'll tell you how I responded - I obediently followed those orders (back in those days I was still discovering who I was...so I listened to her more than I should have!) and accepted the fact that I was never going to be the pretty girl...but rather I was going to be the funny ugly girl??! All I know, is that sucks if that title stuck with me. I get it that everyone needs that funny/fat friend in their crowd - but honestly you never want it to be YOU!!! But nevertheless my lovely big sister dubbed me with what would come to be known as my identity.
Sophomore year of College at BYU:
Now by this time I've really come into my own. I've even kissed a boy and discovered that some days I'm actually pretty cute and have "a dang good personality." Although there was a slight hesitation in that discovery when my very first 'BF' did tell me that I was better looking in pictures than in real life.
**(Well little does he know that the IDEA of kissing him was way better than actually locking lips with him! Let's just say I called my mom the next morning and told her I thought I must be a lesbian because I DID NOT enjoy kissing my BF - it was disgusting! She responded with a new dress and a card saying, "You gotta kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince." - Oh SHIZ...you don't even want to know about the army of frogs/toads I've dealt with!)
Back then I literally probably knew every good looking boy in Provo and had like 4 other siblings to accompany me in the Ure Posse all around town. So I didn't wonder too much about who I was, and as long as I made my Mammie proud I didn't really care what others thought.
And then there was the night that changed it all.
So I had just finished a huge test at the BYU testing center and wanted Lindsey to pick me up. It was late at night and we all know that's when the crazy Mormon's come out in Provo. To get home I would have to walk down the infamous 'Rape Hill' and was too terrified to do so and just wanted my big sissy to pick me up and keep me safe. This too was a moment ingrained in my memory so here's the convo. verbatim.
"Lindsey, will you pretty please pick me up?"
"No - just walk home! I'm watching tv" (some things haven't changed)
"But Lindsey, it's so late and I would have to walk down 'Rape Hill' - please come get me!"
"You're not even RAPE WORTHY! Walk home!"
-CLICK-
And that phone conversation led me to really rethink some of my esteem that seemed to at times be overflowing. Good 'ol Linds watches out for me and will never let me get too full of myself.
Mission for the LDS church...21 years old:
Life was great on the mission. I don't think my esteem has ever been more high. Looking back at pictures I apparently based my esteem on everything BUT looks (it was too hard to eat healthy and only 1 helping per meal and at the same time share the good word. So I chose the more important and shouted the good news from the rooftops and ate my little heart out). But I always found it a little odd when I would run into the office elders or even the Mission President himself on mail delivery day. They seemed to always do a bit of a double take, shake their head, and walk away. It confused me untill I would see that once again Lindsey's influence had followed me all the way across the country. On my packages that my mom religiously sent me week after week Lindsey lived out her dream of being a "tagger" and would cross out my name, "Sister Ure" and replace it with, "Elder Ure...she's actually really a man!" or "Warning! Caution! Sister Ure is a man dressed like a girl!"
Ohh Lindsey Lindsey Lindsey...I just want the world to know that I'm glad you're still looking out for me. I think it's great the way you advise me to first lose 10 lbs. before going out with a potential 'prince'. Or how you try to talk me into dating boys that you wouldn't have given the time of day (...DownEast, is all I gotta say..."hold that thought"...). Let's keep giving the world a comedic show. You be a mean big sister to me and watch the hysteria of laughter rise as it always does.
Oh wait -I forgot that the world actually CAN finally see you in action. All they have to do is tune into our debut of Family Feud on Christmas day and they can see how hard you pinch me and how loud I scream cause you didn't think I was fast enough to get into our huddle. I just want you to know that even though I don't think you're funny...I'm glad that in your heart of hearts you find yourself hillarious...you just keep telling yourself that!
