Siblings Mirror Who We Truly Are

Despite the struggle, rivalry and estrangement we can sometimes go through with our siblings, we often find that our siblings know us best and bring out the best (and the worst) in ourselves so that we can actively build ourselves to the best we can be. No matter where our relationship with our siblings stands today, few people understand us more than our own family. Who is the one person you could always count on throughout your life, who saw past all your pretenses and loved you despite your shortcomings? Many would name their brother or sister to answer this question.

Religious or not, many know the story of Cain and Abel and their legacy of a rocky brotherhood. It permeates our culture everywhere, and their story tells us that there is something that needs to be healed between siblings. We can see our sibling relationships as a way to heal the hurts that all people hold. Because we know the situation of how our siblings grew up, we can at least understand them, even if we don’t agree with everything they do. If we can love our siblings, vices and all, then we are learning what it means to truly love another person unconditionally.

Because, for so many of us, our relationships with our siblings are that hard, that means that’s where we can learn the most about what it means to truly love someone no matter what. Wherever you are in your relationship with your siblings—whether you live together or have lost touch—reach out and connect. Whether you are an only child or of a family of 12, consider how you can reach out to your “brothers and sisters” in life and how you can appreciate them with these insights and steps.