How are personal relationships part of spiritual growth?

When I look back on what has helped pull me through many of the tight squeezes, sharp drops, and hard choices in my life's labyrinth, I realize that the "what" was often a "who"-- my sister, my mother, a colleague, a teacher, a friend, or my daughters, who, with an insightful sentence or an unexpected smile, put everything in perspective.

Prayer and meditation have always been important to me. But there were times when I needed a soul-to-soul connection with someone I loved. I needed not only to hold, but to be held. My sister Agapi has always been there for me, and I have nestled in her unconditional love many a time. The highest function of relationships is to remind us of where we are going, of our spiritual purpose.