You Are Never Alone

You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.

Psalm 139:3-4  

In May, the U.S. Surgeon General called attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and the lack of connection in our country. Even before the pandemic, approximately half of U.S. adults reported feeling measurable levels of loneliness.

I find this so sad. My widowed sister lives alone and tells me she often feels lonely. At Christmas, it only gets worse. There are many like her.

The Surgeon General had some suggestions, such as trading screen time for meaningful connections with real people. Also, cultivating a “culture of connection,” the informal practices of everyday life.

To me a “culture of connection” includes church. A church, especially one as welcoming as St. Francis-in-the-Field, is a wonderful place to find friends and get involved in activities. When I moved to New York City, way back in 1971, St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church had a community club for young newcomers to the city. It was close to where I worked, so I could walk there for evening activities. Manhattan can be a lonely place, so the club was literally a “Godsend.”

But even more important than a “culture of connection” with other people is our connection with God.  I wish all lonely people could be reminded that they are never alone. In the Psalm above, David marvels that God knows everything about him: where he goes, all his thoughts, and everything he does. How often do we stop to consider that God has been interested in us even before we were born, and he is with us always?

Lord, help me not to fear being alone, to find friends to share my life, and to embrace a time to sit with you in quiet togetherness. Amen.