Yesterday the lesson in RS was on Sisterhood... The teacher read this article reporting a research study out of some University... Stanford? Maybe? Anyway -they were looking at stress, and they found that the best way for men to reduce stress is to get married, and the best way for women to reduce stress is to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends. That time spent with girlfriends was as good for women as exercise -and a lack of girlfriend time had health risks equivalent to smoking.
The lesson was really on how we are all part of Relief Society, and we are all each other's sister, and we can call on each other for friendship and love and support and with all of our various needs... which is true. It was on reaching out to the women around us, and do things that will nurture and encourage love and friendship...
And I thought about the women in my life. All the wonderful women in my life... How the women I've met through RS have blessed my life... And then the woman sitting next to me made a comment about being a military wife, and how there have been times in her life she didn't know if she could even go on, and then someone would send her a card, or a goody bag, or just give her a call...
And then I thought about this military sisterhood I'm a part of... The women I've met as a result of this military life are every bit "sister" to me as the women I sit with at church. They're mostly not the same religion as me, but they are mostly Christian women and there is certainly enough in common with a shared belief in Christ... Add to that the shared experiences that only military families can understand, and then the shared experiences of motherhood... and there is quite a bond there. Automatically.
We move a lot and often and we recognize our very real and immediate need for each other... And I remember laughing with a girl I had literally just met -and we're sharing the whole of our life stories and all of our random fears, and desires.. and all the personal things that most people take years to find out about each other... because we don't have years. We have months. And we need each other. And we know that. And I like that about being a military wife. In so many ways, these sisters sustain me.
5 comments:
Really enjoyed this, H. As you know, my friends keep me going! We should get together sometime soon! I was thinking of hosting a few of the LDS moms that I've been the doula at their birth all get together. Whaddya think?
My biological sisters are seriously my best friends. I know not everyone has that opportunity and I am so humbled and grateful for those girlfriends!
Must have been a great lesson. I love those moments in R.S. when you just feel surrounded with love for everyone in the room, even the ones you've never spoken with. Such a beautiful thing
That is an interesting research. I have to agree though, Women need Women.
I am glad you have your RS sisterhood and your Military wife sisterhood..
and added to that, is our blogging sisterhood I guess.
Love this. I find this a very interesting bit of research, especially considering the thoughts I've had on this lately. I have felt this same kind of sisterhood in so many ways and I find it inspiring that women need each other so much. We know it. We can feel that need in our hearts and souls. It is important to women, and we need to know that other people care about us. Thanks for your comments on my post today. I love hearing your thoughts!
:)
Not to make light of your post, because I really appreciate it. Especially regarding military spouses and how quickly we get to know (and love!) each other. But is it bad if when reading the sentence on the research, I thought that perhaps I'd go have coffee with my neighbor this morning instead of going to the gym? It would do the same thing, right? ;-)
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