The core of who we are

I am very close to my sister. When she went on a mission trip to Zambia for two weeks, I thought to myself, two weeks without speaking?!

We usually speak once a day. So it was a real challenge 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 study shows that having a sister does make you happier. Those sisterly conversations that I depend on–talking about our life, work, love, family—are 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 message is adapted from 2010 Women of the ELCA blog written by Emily Hansen.

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