My Tribute to Ruth Dryden: A Model of Consistency

When you read the title, you might be forgiven in thinking that my sister has passed away.  Thankfully that is not the case.  I am just a big fan in paying tribute to the people who have made a great impact in my life, while they are still alive to read it.  Oh and of course today is my sister’s birthday today.

Last night I watched the new series of Dallas.  It is the second episode of the ‘soap’ and my wife and I enjoy watching it as we enjoyed watching the classic Dallas.  I recall connecting my sister to the machinations and devious nature of the ‘villain’ J.R. Ewing.  Despite the years that have passed J.R. remains the same scurrilous, malevolent force of sheer greed and thirst for control.

It is a sight to behold the man in action, from his ability to appear sincere in giving platitudes to others, to his way with the women and of course his ability to press the right buttons to ensure people do his bidding.  He is not perfect of course, but if there is one thing you can count on with J.R. Ewing is that he will go to any and every extent necessary to gain power he believes is rightfully his.

In my formative years growing up with my sister and brother in Wellingborough, my sister appeared to be just like J.R. in asserting her role of dominance.  I enjoy painting a picture of complete autocratic rule by my sister that even put my parents in their place and allowed her to escape many of the punishments that befell my brother and I.  In reality it may not have been that extreme, but there’s more than a grain of truth to the allegations and my memory of then.

Where my sister is truly like J.R. however, is being the model of consistency.  Where in the case of the Texan it was a thirst for power, with my sister she has been remarkably consistent in being supportive of those who call her friend, especially so with those who are members of her family.  She took her role as the oldest sibling very seriously and sought to look out for her younger brothers whenever she could, being very protective of them.

When I left home to go to university the dynamic of my relationship changed, but her character in essence didn’t.  She would not sugarcoat things to make it easier for me, but she would likewise look to do everything in her power to help me find a way out of any mess I found myself in.  Her wisdom and astute sense of perception saved me on a number of occasions, and her financial acumen has also been a tremendous help.

I enjoy spending time listening to Ruth.  She is not all that much of a chatter box, which is a bit bizarre for a woman, but when she does go on, I tend to think it’s because of her capacity of taking on board the problems of others.  She will not impose her issues on you, and will be more mindful of taking your issues on board, even at her own detriment.  Much like her parents she has a way of serving others selflessly and never looking for any praise, glory, acknowledgement or gratitude.  Very much like our Dad, she would be more than content to be behind the scenes ensuring things work as they should and covering for others when the occasion called for it.

She may well have had her down times, her mood may very well have been sad and in despair, but her spirit of tenacity and ability to keep on keeping on has allowed her to maintain an equilibrium that has helped her in issues that might have knocked others down for a long time.

I guess it’s only fitting that as my Dad was a great model of faithfulness and someone to rely on, his firstborn child and beloved daughter should follow so closely in his footsteps.  For that I remain eternally grateful and know there are people around the country and the world who still owe Ruth Dryden a great debt of gratitude (among other things) for that display of consistency.

And for all our sakes, it is a good thing that she only resembles J.R. in her level of consistency!

God bless my sister, Ruth Dryden.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

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