My family has moved several times in the last few years, which has often made the start of the school year a challenge. Each year, my children have had to figure out new friends, new carpools, new hallways, new teachers, and new teams. This is a lot of adjustment, and it hasn’t been easy.
In my first months at Christ Church, a kind soul asked after my kids. I shared a few details, and she replied, "You are only as happy as your least happy child." I hadn’t heard this before, and I haven’t forgotten it. That phrase struck a chord, not just because of its truth in parenting, but because of how it speaks to a larger reality of life in community.
This conversation came back to me after Sunday’s Faith Forum, where the Christ Church clergy shared stories from our spiritual journeys, speaking about the influences on our faith in our early lives and sharing reflections on times when our wells of faith seemed to run dry. As we talked about those dry seasons, it became clear that the connections we had – whether with God, community, or loved ones – were often what sustained us. Just like my children adjusting to a new environment, we’ve all experienced times when we felt lost or disconnected, only to be drawn back by the love and support of others.
Our wellbeing connects to those around us. Our wells run dry when we see others around us suffer. We share in each other's pain and joy, just as much as we share in our own. Paul writes in Galatians 6:2, "Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ." Our hearts expand and contract with the joys and sorrows of the people around us.
While this might seem like a lot to bear – to be only as happy as your least happiest child, or spouse, or neighbor, or friend – it is also the route to wellness. Writer and activist bell hooks once said, "Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation." The peace of Christ flows when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, to open up and let others help carry what we can’t carry on our own. That’s where real healing happens – in the messy, imperfect connections we build with others.
Wellbeing comes when we allow ourselves to be held in community. Together, we reflect the wholeness of God’s love – a love that heals, comforts, and nurtures. The burdens are lighter, the joy is sweeter, and the love is stronger when we walk with others, participating in God's vision of abundant life for all.
