I’m a go-a-million-miles-a-minute kinda girl. In college, I was told that ‘no man is an island’ (the person had probably read the book by that title). Back then I had many friends but rarely let anyone in. I was hiding an eating disorder and full authenticity was just too risky.
I’ve come to think of God as my ‘Good Dad’. Like a good dad he saw the weight I was carrying alone. He patiently wore down my defenses and taught me about true, deep friendship.
In this process there have certainly been times when I’ve shared too much or not enough, but overall I’ve learned how to be real and present with the people I’m given in the seasons in which they’re given to me.
A dear friend shared this quote from Momastery. Ironically it’s a friend I had in college but didn’t experience real depth with until years later. I think this quote perfectly summarizes the lesson my Good Dad taught me.
There is a term in carpentry called Sistering. Sometimes an existing joist, which was designed to handle a certain load can no longer handle its load alone. Maybe it was damaged by water or fire. Maybe it still has structural integrity but an addition is being constructed and the new load is going to be a lot heavier than before. Either way, now it is not as sturdy as it needs to be.
When a builder needs to strengthen that joist, she puts a new member right next to the original one and fastens the two together. Sometimes, two new joists are needed- one on either side.
Do you know what they call that?
A Sister Joist.
Ecclesiastes 4:9 says that: Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
I’m grateful for my Good Dad who cares about friendship. And for the friends who’ve been my ‘sister joists’ over the years. Even though seasons of life sometimes take us apart, I will always cherish those times we stood on either side of each other.
Laura