The catchy song running through my head is from a Broadway musical I did not attend. My daughters did, and in seventh grade they created dolls of the sparring stars.
"Popular, it's all about popular..."
But if I continue singing it will be on wobbly lyrics, since the twins are not at home to fill in the gaps of my memory. To commemorate their adventure I made them foundation pieced pillows, which I can tell you is not a task for the faint of heart. There are twenty seven pieces in one square inch of Glinda's eye.
As I understand the story, there exists a rivalry between two sisters... a stretch in anyone's imagination. At least if you draw your conclusions from social media, where all siblings link arms wearing matching pajamas in front of the twinkling tree.
Why is there this seemingly universal human need to compare? I see no indications of it ruining relationships in the animal kingdom. Well unless you count those fight-to-the-death scenarios between jaguars, which I guess I should. I mean, they do perish.
But mama Cocker Spaniels don't seem to measure their own worth based on the number and size of puppies across the white picket fence.
"She has five, three girls and two boys. I have four, all boys. Woof."
That is if dogs even count.
Neither does vegetation seem to notice. Sycamores, leeks, and thistles grow contentedly without any consideration of their global ratings. Minerals are immune to competition, which is surprising considering the somewhat arbitrary worth we have plastered to diamonds, painite, and rhodium. I doubt that a hunk of platinum feels superior to a piece of coal even in the shadow of current stigma.
I suppose when we mortals can let go of the need to win an imaginary race we will finally have learned to defy gravity.
