In case you missed it, last year I discovered I had an estranged sister after a chance meeting at a coffee shop in my small hometown. You can read the story on my Twitter.
A Little About Me
My name is Marie Smith and I was born in a small town named Towntown, British Columbia.
My parents Mary and Joseph Smith were also born in Towntown and have lived in the town their whole lives.
I also spent my whole life in Towntown until I moved away at the age of 18 to go to school at the University of Northern British Columbia.
Haven’t heard of Towntown? That’s ok. Most people haven’t. The town’s tagline is “The town so nice, they named it twice!”. It’s a beautiful town and for those looking to visit, it’s about a 4-hour drive west from Prince George.
As a high school project I actually documented ‘5 Places To Be in Towntown, BC’. (It features Martine’s Coffee Shop where I met my sister!)
Here’s the video.
My Family Secrets
But enough about me! I’m sure you’re here to learn more about my family secrets and how I discovered after 18 years of being an only child that I had a sister.
I knew when we drove up to my parent’s house that something was wrong. Both my mom and Annie had the same wide-eyed look on their faces. Like they both encountered the same ghost.
Turns out Annie was the ghost. Well, the daughter that left at 18 seeking independence from her “overbearing” small-town parents.
I found out that Annie hated growing up in Towntown and resented our parents for not moving away sooner. There were a lot of fights and eventually it reached a boiling point. My sister at the age of 18 packed her bags and left Towntown; she asked not to be contacted and my parents fearing they’d lose her forever agreed.
Life As I Know it Now
And that brings us to the present day. I’ve learned a lot of lessons since meeting Annie last year and reuniting our family after 18 years apart.
- There’s no such thing as a perfect family. Even a happy family has their secrets.
- The past can be broken but love (and therapy) can mend most things.
- Having an older, wiser sister is actually so much better than being an only child.
EXSM 3989 - Digital Storytelling Class Blog 