Circle of Grace

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

Today I am grateful. Grateful that I have mobility. Grateful that my six senses are working. Grateful that I live in a beautiful corner of God’s creation called Anguilla. An uneasiness that I felt after returning from a trip in January was the impetus that brought me back. But now I know why and for that I am doubly grateful to God Almighty for his omniscience. He knew that I would not have done well trying to weather this Covid19 storm by myself.

Before I left Anguilla almost two years ago I would enjoy walking for exercise, but for the most part I did it by myself because I enjoyed the solitude – taking in the fresh sea breeze, and sights and sounds of the beautiful vegetation and animal-life that I would experience on my way. By the way, I am what you may call a tree-hugger. Nature and the outdoors make me come alive.

So I am back and the one thing that I am grateful for is partnership. While I was away I enjoyed what the new environment had to offer but the one thing I missed, was having close family and friends to enjoy my experiences with. Especially coming down to, what I know now to be my final months away, I began to feel lonely and as if the days were just running into each other. Everyone I would have loved to do life with were miles away. I realized that talking on the phone was not enough and that physical presense is ‘muy importante’ in the development and maintenance of relationships/partnerships.

As lonely as I would feel sometimes, for me any partner would not do. I do not subscribe to the adage, ‘any port in a storm’ because it is one thing to have a partner and another to have a partner that supports, pulls and pushes you.  What’s even better is when that support is physical and present.  Look at what God did in the garden of Eden. Although he had given man everything that he needed, including a relationship with God himself, he looked at him one day and said, “…It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” (Genesis 2:18). And you know the rest. He created Eve as a partner/helper for Adam…someone with whom he could be fruitful, while they multiplied and replenished the earth together.

I am one of those persons that like my space. I’m quite fine spending time by myself. I am creative so quiet spaces is a premium for me, yet at the end of the day I like to know that I have someone that I can do life with. Someone to walk and talk with, so to speak. Today it was taking a long walk and talking about anything and nothing; silently walking mulling over our own thoughts, resting, laughing – all the while exercising together. Tomorrow it may be supporting a dream or cause. But whatever it is, it’s more fulfilling and memory-making doing it together…as partners, don’t you think?

Now to complete the opening scripture reference:

“For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:10-12)