Have you ever wondered what Mary did for those nine long months between the angel and the manger? We don't know much, but the one thing we do know speaks volumes: she made special effort to go and visit Elizabeth, the only other person who could come close to understanding what she was going through.

There's a special kind of bond that forms when people go through similar situations together. Something about the sharing of it builds a type of community that can only be described as "holy." Sure, it can be hard to make friends and we all feel isolated sometimes. But when we seek relationship, first with God but also with others, it's amazing what happens.