I am very close to my sister. Recently, she went on a mission trip to Zambia for two weeks. An exciting adventure for her, but I thought to myself, “two weeks without speaking?!” We usually speak once a day. So it was a real change for me during those 14 days when she was traveling. While she was gone, whenever something amusing or interesting or annoying would happen, I would pick up my phone to dial her number and then realize … oops, she’s in Africa–her cell phone doesn’t work! There was a real void when we couldn’t talk.
I’m a happier person when I talk to my sister, and it turns out that I’m not alone. A recent study shows that having a sister does make you happier. Those sisterly conversations that I depend on are deep discussions, talking about our life, work, love, and family–sometimes serious, sometimes silly, but always important to me.
And isn’t that also why we are part of the women’s organization? The friendship and support we receive from our fellow sisters in Christ is deeply connected to our well-being in mind, body, and spirit. These meaningful relationships are often at the core of who we are as women.
This is adapted from “Survey says: You are happier if you have a sister,” written by Emily Hansen, that was published November 5, 2010, on the Women of the ELCA blog.
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