I was thinking about relationships with women friends. To signify the purity of relationship, in the Indian Culture, we call her “sister,” and essentially, that is what it is; a brother and sister to be there for each other.
The spouses usually join in the friendship circle. Whereas in the American culture, the idea of a sister is not common yet!
I have comfortable relationships with many women; although the sister word sounds odd, my women friends can be comfortably called sisters. What is your experience?
Indeed, the people from the Subcontinent, i.e., India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, are taught to call their parents’ friends as Uncles and Aunties. It is sporadic for anyone to call them otherwise.
India celebrates Rakhi – a festival to honor sisters. On this day, any female that ties a thread on a man’s wrist signifies that she takes him as her brother, and the brother returns the honor with a gift of acceptance. I have several Rakhi sisters, and they are all dear to me. It has nothing to do with religion but to honor sisters. The legend goes back to the times of Krishna and also the examples of Mogul Kings. A woman ties the thread in the wrist of Aurangzeb, who in turn drops his hostility towards the girl’s brother, as the Rakhi brother becomes a protector of the sister. There are many songs honoring sisters . .. I will write more about it.