In the “Heart” section of The Handbook for Catholic Moms, there’s a chapter on friendship–developing and maintaining healthy, nurturing friendships. Author Lisa Hendey calls these true friends “soul sisters.”
In my life, I feel blessed to have four biological sisters, as well as a few very good “soul sisters.” It’s true for both my sisters and my “soul sisters” that with busy family life, I can’t always be in contact with them as I would like. Still, I hope all my “sisters” know that I cherish them deeply and pray for them every day. For the most part, I’m inconsistent about remembering birthdays and other anniversaries, and I’ve often thought that I wish I had a more consistent way to be in touch with them. When my parents were alive, my husband’s example of always calling his parents on the weekend (and usually other times throughout the week) helped me to make that a weekend habit, and I’m so grateful for that. I think I need to consider something along those lines for my sisters who are close and my sisters who live far.
What does it mean to you to have or to be a “soul sister?” How do you nourish authentic friendships?
Soul sisters are the girls who understand us to the very core. For me, these are the girls with whom I can share my NFP hate stories, my sometimes irreverent sense of humor, and my silliness with and know that I am safe and loved in their presence, even though I am simply me.
My soul sisters will laugh with me, handle my bad moods, offer me empathy, but most of all will reflect truth and optimism. They have accepted who I am, and know that I accept them as they are too.