By Linda Ibbitson Hurd
It was a Sunday night before Christmas in 1962. I was 15 and my sister Penny was 12. We had two younger siblings, David, 9, and Barbara, 6.
We belonged to the Hanson Baptist Church and that night our family was going to a candlelight service that Penny was part of. It was not uncommon for Penny and I to be arguing or fighting over something, most anything would do and me being the older sister Penny just loved getting on my nerves. I didn’t want to go to the service and couldn’t see why they all couldn’t go without me but my mother insisted and I knew if I protested my father would get involved and that would make matters worse so I complied.
As we were getting ready, Penny and I had an argument because she took a wool pleated skirt I planned to wear and didn’t even ask. I was so angry as she always stretched the waist band in my clothes and ruined them for me. I went into her room where she was getting dressed and told her I wanted my skirt back and made a grab for it. She was bigger and taller than I and packed a mighty punch which she shared often. I pushed her and she fell between the bed and the wall. She kicked me and I knew if I had screamed that would bring dad running and it would be bad for us both. I whispered in a nasty tempered whisper for her to let go of my skirt. She grit her teeth and in a mean whisper told me she had nothing to wear and I had all the good clothes. I did a slow boil and wanted to pull her blonde pony tail but didn’t. I whispered again for her to give me my skirt. She snarled back, put it under her and sat on it. I went to find my mom.
I tried to be calm and not whine when I told mom what was going on. She said she would take care of it and told me to go to my room. She came in a few minutes later with the skirt and told me to get dressed. Penny had to go out and feed her horse, Lady, before she got ready. She opened the door to my room as she passed by and snarled that I was a no good rotten tattletale. I told her she deserved what she got. To my surprise she didn’t slam the door.
When we finally were on our way to the church, mom put my little brother and sister between Penny and me in the back seat, for which I was relieved. I noticed Penny wasn’t giving me dirty looks or hissing at me, she just looked out the window and was very quiet during the ride.
Once we were inside the Sanctuary other people came in greeting one another warmly. There was a happy, festive yet peaceful atmosphere with a very special feeling filling the church. White candles were aglow all over the room as we all sat in the cushioned pews.
As the service started and the choir sang, out walked Penny. She was wearing a white choir robe and her silky blonde hair shone as it fell around her face. Her cheeks were pink and her light green eyes filled with happiness. There was a pause and a hush as the Minister nodded to her. She began to sing ‘Silent Night’ in the most beautiful angelic voice I couldn’t believe was coming out of her. It seemed like there was a halo around her head and I reasoned it was the candles behind her that were making it look that way until I realized there were no candles directly behind her. A light seemed to radiate all around her as she sang out to the Congregation.
Much to my surprise, tears filled my eyes and my heart swelled with pride.
In that moment I began to wonder if she behaved the way she did sometimes because she wanted my attention, my approval. Maybe if she had it things might be different between us. The truth, if I was different, things might change for the better.
When the service was over I ran out to the back of the church where Penny was hanging her choir robe back up in the big closet. I told her I was proud of her and that her singing was beautiful. She said, “really?” I said “Yes”. I smiled at her and said “you’re not so bad for a sister.” She pushed me gently in the shoulder saying, “You’re not so bad either.”
Linda Ibbitson Hurd is a Halifax resident who grew up in Hanson and graduated from Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in 1965. Her fond remembrances of life in a simpler time are a delight.