The Plain Sister

I have two sisters. I am the youngest. I am also the plain one. I don’t say this to gain sympathy or have people disagree. It is just a fact. I have come to accept it.

My two older sisters have always gotten lots of attention. Both outgoing, energetic and always smiling, people tend to gravitate towards them. Oh, did I also mention, I am the shy one. I know it sounds like a stereotype. The plain shy youngest child that disappears into the background while her older sisters get all the attention.

This wasn’t true at home as much. Our parents were very good about giving us equal time and recognizing our differences as well as our similarities. But I was always the quiet one. Perhaps it was the result of being born last. I came into a household that everyone was talking and walking and moving. Sure, all babies are like that. As a child I learned to observe more than participate.

So shyness became my way as I watched my sisters make friends and join activities. My oldest sister has always had a group of friends she hung out with. She still does today. It’s a different group than what she had in high school but she has always been surrounded by people who talk and laugh a lot just like her.

My middle sister was the typical blonde haired, blue eyed, great figure all American girl. And she was athletic on top of it. I’d rather have my nose in a book that run. She has a lot of friends but tends to travel in smaller groups. Oh, and of course they are both taller than me too.

As children I kept quiet as they talked and were more animated. I knew I was shy and quiet but that was ok with me. When we reached adolescence is when I realized I was plain too. I had had boys in grade school tell me I was ugly but I tried to let that go as just boys being mean. But when we entered our teen years, I saw the differences for what they were.

While my sisters developed, I remained flat chested. When they grew tall, I stopped growing. They had average teenage skin while I had to go to a dermatologist and take medication for my excessive acne. Their hair stayed curled all day while mine stayed limp and straight. Then we got older.

Going out together really sent the message home loud and clear. Whenever we were out and guys saw us, they came over. My middle sister always got first notice. Then my older sister. If there were three guys, you could see the resignation on the face of the one that ended up with me. His buddies got Cinderellas while he got the ugly step-sister.

But surprisingly, being the plain quiet one hasn’t been all that bad. I don’t have a lot of friends but I know the friends I have are real and there for me. If a guy talks to me I know it isn’t for how I look but for my personality. Yes, I’m the girl with the great personality you hear about. There are a lot of us out there. I know that if a guy likes me it is for me, not how I look standing next to him. I know I’m not being used to impress his friends or make himself feel better.

I got good grades in school from all my reading. I stayed home on weekends and developed a wonderful relationship with my parents. I know who I truly am from a lot of introspection.

Yes, even now that we are older, my sisters with children and grandchildren, they get the first looks and I am a secondary glance. My straight brown, now greying hair still won’t hold a curl. Acne has been replaced with creases and wrinkles. But I have a calmness that comes from being the plain sister. I will not chase youth with creams, injections or surgeries. I accept my aging looks with a grace that comes with wisdom that there is much more than appearances. Looks are truly only skin deep. I have spent my lifetime developing me.

So when I reach my twilight years and am shuffling around the old folks home, I know I am going to be very popular among those old guys because I am going to be the gal with the great personality and being plain won’t matter anymore.

*Please feel free to give a tip so I can buy more books and continue to develop my personality.