When I look back at those pictures of my mother performing - and listen to her recordings - it makes me sad to think that all of that joy she found in her work came to an end. I wish she hadn't had to make that sacrifice even if it was for the benefit of my father and siblings and me.

I don't remember any sibling rivalry growing up because by the time I was really conscious Tom was going away to college. My relationship with him which is a very close one really developed in more recent years.

Because of my unique experience as my mom's child the beginning of my journey was more about me trying to figure out who I was on my own. My mom is one of the greatest moms and so supportive of all my siblings and of all of us being who we are and not who she wanted us to be.

My mom's one of 13 siblings and they all got six kids and till I was 13 everybody was in Compton.

Some of the best times I've spent in Colorado have been in the backcountry with my mom and siblings and more recently with my own kids. That is why I'm concerned to see today's kids spending more time browsing the Internet than exploring nature.

I've never had siblings I didn't grow up in a big family it was just me and my single mom. And hectic family dysfunction was actually something that I craved.

We're learning how important it is both to preserve sibling relationships if they work and repair them if they're broken. We're also learning a lot about nonliteral siblings - stepsiblings half-siblings - and the surprising power they can have.

I'm lucky because I have a job I love. I really miss being away from home being in my own bed seeing my animals and siblings having my moms cookies. I have a couple cats. I got a kitten about a year ago and now Im going on the road so I wont see him for a while. I feel bad.

We can't understand when we're pregnant or when our siblings are expecting how profound it is to have a shared history with a younger generation: blood genes humor. It means we were actually here on Earth for a time - like the Egyptians with their pyramids only with children.

Friends are the siblings God never gave us.