Al and his little brother circa 1986
A friend loves at all times,
and a sibling is born for a time of adversity.
Proverbs 17:17
Do you have any siblings? If so, how would you describe your relationship with them? Also, how has your relationship with them changed as an adult? Sibling relationships are some of the longest relationships people will have in their lifetimes, even longer than those of most people’s parents. There hasn’t been too much research done on adult sibling relationships, but in 1989 Dr. Deborah Gold of Duke University came out with a study “Sibling Relationships in Old Age.” In it she concluded there were five types of sibling relationships: intimate, congenial, loyal, apathetic, and hostile. The most common relationship among siblings is loyal, which means they show up for each other in times of need. The second most common relationship is apathetic, which means their sibling relationship doesn’t mean much to them. Unfortunately, intimate is the least common relationship among siblings because it’s rare to find siblings who are deeply connected, beyond just friendly or cordial with each other.
As people of faith, we should strive for intimate relationships with our family, friends, neighbors, partners, and colleagues. While intimacy will not be attainable with all of them, that is something everyone longs for; intimacy with God and intimacy with others.
