Lately I have been overwhelmed with people and labels. Life is so cut and dry and labels are key to defining someone. Just like my mom, I have made some wonderful friendships that go beyond the term friend. Women often do this... My mom has an even bigger family because of the friends she has established. When you have people in your life you could rely on more than a sister, how do you honor them? Society doesn't allow for such self-selection families. There should be a term for a friend/brother or friend/sister. Labels provide a sense of security. The term friend can be used so loosely so when you have a select amount of special friends in your life, how do you honor them? "Best-friend" seems so middle school...
Behold the term, sister-out-law or brother-out-law. A label for a friend you would have in your family if the choice was yours. A name worthy for those you'd select as bridesmaids or groomsman; i.e., an adult best-friend. These special people should really be limited to one hand. After all, they would be the ones you wouldn't hesitate to put your life on hold for.
I will never forget my first moment to witness a true sister-out-law. My mom was going through a tough time in her life, she had the flu, had to take care of my brother with his torn ACL and help me and my other brother. She felt all alone and extremely overwhelmed. We were all too young to fend for ourselves. My mom's sister-out-law finds out what is going on and books a ticket immediately from Cincinnati to Baltimore. She put her life on hold with her own kids to come help my mom and take care of her. As you can imagine, the term "friend" just doesn't cut it.
I feel so lucky to have similar people in my life. I definitely believe that the greatest friends we have in life are soul mates. They are sisters or brothers who, even though might have different beliefs or were raised differently, still resonate with you. Think of a way to honor your "out-law" today. Don't be afraid to spread the term either; just make sure it isn't confused with "outlaw"...the dash is key. XO