Am I misinterpreting this graduation gift from my sister?
I recently became a doctor after the typical uphill battle becoming a doctor entails. I have two sisters, a pair of loving parents, and many friends and family. For my graduation everyone came from all over the country to surprise me with a party and dinner at one of the priciest restaurants in town. They even remembered to bring my bottle of the best champagne in the world that I had been saving for over 5 years since I started school - I earned it waiting tables to put myself through, and I opened it and shared with everyone - it was awesome. I had a truly perfect day, lots of tears of joy, and I was just so happy and overjoyed to see everyone, it made for a joyous memory.
Frankly I was abashed at the gifts I received - my mother and stepdad gave me $1000 AND a pair of huge pearl earrings/necklace. My father gave me a donut-cut black diamond pendant set with a 2 carat white diamond in its center. Grandma gave me $500, which is more than she can afford. I was thinking that taking me out to dinner would be enough, I wasn't expecting half so much. It meant a lot to me that people thought so much of this accomplishment - I am the first person to become a doctor in my family - but I really did think this was a lot!
My sister, however, got me a necklace and left the price tag on. She'd spent $25 on it at Wal Mart. She never leaves a tag on at Christmas, she's always quite careful to peel them off. She and I also don't get along very well. She is also enrolled in a doctoral program and things aren't going so well, probably because she has two kids she's trying to raise at the same time, naturally I had it easier because I was child and husbandless throughout.
She has complained many times during my childhood, adolescence and adulthood that I was "the favorite". We all got a bit tipsy on all the good bubbly at the party, and she brought up how for her 13th birthday she got a party at some lame chain restaurant, and for my 13th I got to go to the symphony or something in NYC. I wonder if this is her big "f*** you" to me, or if she just wasn't communicating with others, or what? Now, I didn't expect ANY presents at all, and frankly I like her gift and I am wearing it now, it's quite pretty, who cares how much it costs, right? I don't really have such expensive tastes as the gifts I got may imply. It's the stark contrast between her gift and everyone else's that gets me - plus leaving the tag on. She's a subtle, intelligent creature and she does like to make a point. What do you think? Is there something up that I should talk to her about? We love each other - but you know how sibling rivalry can be, maybe I might mention something? But what? I want her to be happy and not dislike me, family is very important to me, since I have no husband or children of my own.
