Ask me, please, what I love most about my rebbetzin role, because I love sharing it. Just talking about it makes me happy.

It’s the people. The exquisite souls I have the good fortune of interacting with on a daily basis.

That is why while my day-to-day involvement inTime spent with them is a true labor of love Chabad activities and programs has waxed and waned depending on what my children were up at that particular period of time (think colicky babies), there is one area that I never wanted to cut back on: the time I invested in personal relationships with community members. Be it coffee dates, heart-to-heart talks about a challenge they were facing or a one-on-one learning session to discuss a new mitzvah they hoped to take on as the next step in their Jewish journey ... time spent with them is a true labor of love.

As you can imagine, I have made some interesting observations over the last decade as rebbetzin of Chabad of Cary, N.C. One observation that has really stood out for me, and I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, is that there are many, many sensitive souls, out there! More than you may realize. In fact, you may not even realize that you are one of them. I’ve seen it in all ages and stages, from toddlers to seniors.

Let me explain what I mean by sensitive. I don’t mean easily hurt or offended. I don’t mean timid. I don’t mean frail and vulnerable with no backbone. The best definition I have yet seen for sensitivity is by Elaine Aaron in her books, The Highly Sensitive Person and The Highly Sensitive Child.

One of the characteristics that she uses to define sensitivity is “Depth of processing.” In short, she describes it as a keen awareness of everything, even the subtlest and intangible.

So guess what happens when said sensitive person meets me, the rebbetzin? This rebbetzin (who herself identifies as a Highly Sensitive Person) sees another key element at play: a soul craving spirituality and an authentic relationship with G‑d, thirsting to connect with his/her own soul, the soul of the world and the soul of others. This thirst runs deep.

The sensitive soul simply isn’t satiated by what others would consider to be a rich and happy life. They are too tuned in to the deeper meaning to simply accept life at face value. They demand more. They need to connect to the essence of life. To its purpose. To its soul. Even Jewish rituals and traditions need to reflect the soul within; without this, they are left feeling a lack and deficiency.

They are craving authentic, Divine spirituality. It is not a luxury for them; it is an absolute necessity. It is life itself.

But often, they are oblivious to the cry of their soul. They feel the symptoms: anxiety, sadness, resentment, overwhelm, tension, confusion. They struggle to understand why they find themselves deeply internalizing the subtlest stimuli around them: a flicker of sadness in the eyes of another, saying good-bye to a friend, the cry of a baby at a circumcision, an aging uncle or watching the evening news. They wonder why life often feels so dense and heavy.

(Now important disclaimer here: Many of the symptoms require a trained professional. Nothing I am saying here is intended to take the place of a licensed professional. However, I am saying that there is a spiritual element to these symptoms as well that begs to be noticed and addressed.)

Unlike your favorite Teflon-coated pan in which you love to fry eggs, things don’t easily bounce off of these highly sensitive souls. They take it all in, think deeply into it and take it to heart. The sad part is that they often walk around wondering what is wrong with them. Why can’t they hear a friend talk about a problem without feeling drained? Why is separation so hard? Why can’t they be satisfied with the typical routine of life that the others around them seem to be handling just fine?

They feel handicapped and different because unfortunately, our society doesn’t really promote or value the sensitive soul. Calm, cool and collected seems to be the name of the game in our world today, and so often their voices aren’t heard. But there is so much that is right with them. Their souls shine brightly through the physical body that houses them. Their souls that cannot accept the sorrow, the pain, the superficiality of this physical world. These souls demand more. Need more. Cannot live without more.

They crave an inner peace that only an authentic relationship with G‑d can offer—a relationship comprising prayer, mitzvot and Torah study. They need aThey crave an inner peace relationship that sheds light on the purpose of life, that reveals the essential goodness in all of Creation, that trains us to see Divine Providence—G‑d’s Hand orchestrating every minute detail of each individual’s life. They need to feel that throughout our challenges, tears and trials, we are lifted into the Hands of G‑d and reminded that He Alone carries us, watches us and waits for us to call to Him with all that is in our hearts and minds. They need the security that we never walk the path of life alone, but were designed by a Master Artist and intended to be just the way we are.

Because you see, each mitzvah we do, even (and especially!) the ones that we find more difficult or intimidating, are nourishment for our soul. It plugs us into our Source. Even if you didn’t feel especially inspired by that particular mitzvah, your soul is nourished by it. It is fuller. It shines brighter within you, like it is home where it belongs.

So treasure this gift of sensitivity. Forget the red convertible! It may not be a mid-life crisis. If you feel overwhelmed by the world around you, this may be part of a very special package that G‑d gave to you: the gift of a finely tuned soul that feels and internalizes, and that needs to connect to the essence of Life in order to live life.

True, it may sometimes feel easier and lighter to be Teflon-coated. But there is a depth and richness to life that sensitivity brings with it.