What is a Soul Sister?

Recently when reading I found a rather profound paragraph about what a soul sister is.

"What is a "Soul Sister"? Quite simply, a soul sister is a woman friend who tends to the needs of our souls. A soul sister keeps her eye on what really matters, even when we may not be centered on that ourselves. She is that person who recognizes the simple truth that while material security and professional success have their place in life, they cannot satisfy all our needs. Thus, soul sisters are those who are loyal to the innermost essence, the deepest heart's desire, of their friends. By maintaining a fidelity and trust to the better part of their friend's nature, they help nurture it into existence." Adapted with permission from "Soul Sisters" by Pythia Peay, published by Tarcher books, a division of Penguin Putnam.


Wow-that sounds great, doesn't it?  To be quite, honest...I long for this relationship, but then I don't.  If you know much about me (some of my Sunday morning girls do), but I struggle daily with stories that I develop in my head.  I carefully gauge what I'm about to say and play it out in different scenarios so I can figure out how the whole conversation is likely to go before one word even comes out of my mouth.  Complicated, huh?  Welcome to Katie world! The times that I happen to be caught off guard and say something off the cuff-I spend a considerable amount of time thinking how what I said probably sounded so stupid, and how a great disaster has probably occurred somewhere because I spoke without weighing the consequences.  I'm fairly sure that this probably stems from times of having my words twisted to oblivion and hurt and pain that followed that-however I carried that until it became a part of me.

I've been told I'm an awkward person to get to know.  Honestly, that's probably very true. I'm very cautious with my heart.  I'm neurotic in some areas of my life.  It is much safer for me for you not to know me at a "Soul Sister" level.  I do not open up honestly about my life or my emotions.  I do wear a mask.  I very rarely am authentic with anyone outside my inner circle of trust-which involves probably 3 people and my dog.  And because this is the case-I am lonely.  

I stumbled upon this beauty of a quote a few days ago.

And there is is folks.  The struggle of all struggles for me.  What everything I've told you leads up to.

I do not share my struggles with you, while I'm listening to yours because I don't want to seem like I'm trying to overshadow yours.  I feel as though my issues are not as important or as difficult as yours.  Often, I care for you so much that I choose not to say anything, fearing it may hurt rather than help-and the last thing in this world I want is for anyone to hurt because of something I've said.  And so my hurt and even happiness sometimes, stays bottled up...and let me tell you-nothing good comes from keeping things bottled up.  Very few, if any, of you have had Katie un-bottled!!  Be thankful for that!!! 

Seriously-what's the point of all of this??  To tell you it's time to rip off the masks-be authentic-let your soul sisters tend to the needs of your soul.

1 Corinthians 13:3-7The Message (MSG)

^3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.