A Couple Months Together Changes Everything

In this moment, two things strike me as very beautiful.

Women and relationships

I have lived in a house with five other women this summer. We moved in at the very end of May and now we're nearing the end of our time together. Tonight, we sat in our living room together well past the end of any exciting plans or events. We could have and probably should have gone to bed. But instead we talked. We told funny stories about things that happened during the day - acting them out when necessary, being as demonstrative as possible. We shared things that had unfolded over the weekend and this past week. Then we began to unravel some tales from our pasts - things that related to recent events, but told more about us, who we are, where we come from.

As we each took turns sharing important things about ourselves, things that impacted us, we each began to understand the others even better. We each had a turn and we each had the attention of everyone else in the room.

We were all equal. We were all loved. We were all respected. We were all important.

This is the way the world is supposed to look.

This happened without us saying a word about it. We didn't corporately decide "Okay, we're going to sit down and talk forever now, and you have to be vulnerable and you have to listen when other people are talking and pretend like you care." We all love the Lord and we're all trying to grow; therefore, the instincts of our heart told us to do this and we were all united.

This happens a lot. After a weekend away we expect a debriefing. If we don't get one, we ask for one. After work, any funny stories must be shared. After a shared experience we have to hash it out, and replay any funny things and discuss any important things.

None of this is necessary. Hardly any of our communication is vital (no life or death scenarios, no life-changing information we must relay to each other). Some of it is extremely trivial in and of itself.

But we share it because it builds our relationships.
It helps us learn about each other,
which helps us care for each other better.
It brings us joy.

We are women through and through. But we have joy in the way our Maker created us to relate. So I defy anyone to condescend to me and my loved ones. To the men who are unappreciative - who insult:

Don't knock something you don't understand unless you're prepared
to answer to the God of the universe for challenging His design.