Verse of the day: Then the Lord God said, “I see that it is not good for the man to be alone. I will make the companion he needs, one just right for him.” – Genesis 2:18

I like this translation of Genesis 2:18. It is clear that we have been created in the context of community, and that relationships between people must be grounded in mutual support and encouragement.

Rebekah and I have been living in the truth of this principle over forty years, and spending just a few days apart (she is in Virginia Beach this week, spending time with her sister Rachel) illustrates the hard to explain yet palpable fact that “presence” is much more than a physical manifestation, it is spiritual too.

Even if I’m upstairs writing, and Rebekah is outside, gardening, I can “feel” her presence. But this week she is spending a few days in Virginia Beach with her sister, Rachel, and the house is different – empty in a way it is usually not, even when she spends all day at the church. This is not a romantic or an imaginative invention, it is empirical fact.

Max agrees:

Max Retriever would agree. It turns out our huge, enormous, oversized Golden is a big softie who can’t stand to be without his mama. Seriously, Mr. Max has been pouting for three days, tail between his legs, very sad to be missing his mother.

Other than keeping Max from being too depressed, and spending a little extra time with my parents, I am using this time to get a few projects out of the way. Job One has been to do an archeological dig and find my way to the surface of my desk. Job Two will be the rest of my study.

It’s also a challenge to continue our healthy pattern of eating – even when it’s just me.

Tuesday’s supper is a great example of what is possible with a little imagination. I made crab cakes and sautéed some breaded okra, accompanied by my (current) favorite IPA. I may well award myself a couple of Michelin Stars for that!

Social distance is a scourge:

The bottom line here is that I may be extremely busy, invested in my work and taking care of my parents and a bunch of other stuff, but the fact of Rebekah’s absence works its way into every crevice of the day.

It really is “not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis), and this applies to so much more than marriage. Social distance is possibly as dangerous as COVID itself; we need each other.

Like I said, presence is palpable; it is so much more than physical, it is spiritual too.

In love, and because love is more real than sometimes we understand – DEREK