Dear An alternative family structure,

I was on vacation with my parents, at an airport waiting for our flight Across from us sitting were two women, and five children. They were traveling to our destination. I was fourteen, and my mother sent me over to offer to help entertain the children. I learned from them that they were wives of the same man and on their way to their home after visiting parents. In their culture, most all men had several wives, and they were no different. When I asked them the American questions, how could they do that? They answered, silly we are 'sisters'.

It stayed with me, my mother told me that not everyone has the same rules, and true enough for some women, having a sister wife was the way to go. Never lonely, and someone to share all the burdens, especially the burden of bearing children. Sometimes she would have happily accepted a sister to come live with her.

I was shocked. I heard about how my father's girl at work was really his other wife. She was called the office wife, and sex between them had been going on for a long time. She and his office wife were in constant contact, managing the affairs of the office and the household. She was glad my father had his office wife, not some woman she didn't know of.

A fourteen year old doesn't want to hear that.

I am now 26, I live with my husband and my sister wife. We met in college and found out that we would very much want to be sister wives. It was easy, we would share the most precious duty, we would have children together. Two sets of hands would make our lives easier. We are not sexual partners, but we are very close to each other emotionally. Like sisters. Her worries are my worries, and vis a versa.

She sleeps off his right shoulder and I sleep off his left shoulder, and almost every morning we wake up in each other's arms so we can be closer. No hug can equal the hug of your sister, her love and her being there for you. My mother was right, a sister wife means you never have to be lonely Four hands to make beds, and fix dinner, two wombs to bear children. All that makes one happy husband.