Sisters Janaki Symon (left) and Melissa Wilbur discuss their childhood and their mutual hatred for one another, which began to change to love for each other after the death of their mother.
Originally aired February 1, 2008, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Janaki Symon (JS) and Melissa Wilbur (MW)
JS: How did you view me when we were children?
MW: I never particularly liked you. I was highly jealous of you. No matter how bad you were or how much trouble you put our parents through, they still always talked about you. You were the one they were proud of and I resented that. What about you?
JS: Well, I just hated you. There wasn’t anything about you that I could stand. You actually were able to do things that I couldn’t do. You did well in school. Teachers liked you. You would poke me and I remember stabbing you with a fork. We would go to bed at night and you would want the door open and I would need the door closed and I just — I just hated you.
MW: How did we come from this hate to where we are now? Because, I can’t even picture myself without you.
JS: After Mommy died, I was planning to make amends to you and I couldn’t do it. I wanted to with all my heart and I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t quite know how. I remember exactly the moment that I fell in love with you. You put your arm around me and you gave me this spontaneous hug and kiss and I went, ’Oh my god!’ It was as if the last barrier between us was gone.
MW: Something in each of us didn’t want to give up on our relationship. And I’m so grateful because I have a sister who I really adore and I am one of the luckiest people I know. I love you.
JS: I love you too. And I’m very, very glad that you are my sister.
Freedom School students Deborah Carr, Stephanie Hoze, Teresa Banks, Linda Ward, Glenda Funchess, and Don Denard came to StoryCorps to reflect on their memories from 1964.
