Closeness.

Bonded.

Together.

Several words swirled in my mind today as I tried to name the sensation that settled into my heart early this morning.

My heart was heavy as I arrived at work, no arguing that. Usually I can count on someone else to be having an extra cheerful morning and inspire me to be positive.

But today, I knew I wasn’t the only one feeling discouraged. The rest of them would be, too. Wondering how we would ever manage to hold eachother up, I trudged toward the door… and an uncertain day.

Everyone arrived for our Friday morning prayer meeting. Usually, attendance is sporadic. I wondered, as the stream of solemn faces came into the room, if they also craved the nameless something I was seeking. That had fueled my determination to be there.

We gathered around the table as usual. No one had any answers. Everyone seemed exhausted, like myself. The same questions were going through their minds as I had wrestled with last night.

But I knew in my heart, this is what we need.

Sitting together, talking, praying, crying. Allowing ourselves to be real. Not pretending everything’s okay when it isn’t. Declaring our commitment to face this together. Not hiding our emotions, but leaning on eachother. Leaning on God together.

I left that prayer meeting still weary, but convinced that what we had just experienced… this painful but precious something will be our survival. And that thought made me stronger as I headed to my desk to face to day.

All day the deep feeling of security stayed with me that had begun while praying together. Many words swirled in my head, but none quite described the entirety of what we shared.

I finally came to one all-encompassing word… communion.

A noun with several different meanings, which combined totally describe the experience.

1 – a group of persons having a common religious faith. Yes, we all find our Source of strength in the One True God – we have the same Father.

2 – association; fellowship. We are going to get to know each other better through fellowship if we have the courage to associate with each other. Not becoming our own islands.

3 – interchange or sharing of thoughts or emotions; intimate communication. Talking it out is valuable, but sometimes very difficult. Thankfully communion isn’t limited to words. There is nothing wrong with the communion of tears cried together, or simply sitting in silence. Drawing strength from another’s presence.

4 – the act of sharing, or holding in common; participation. Although everyone reacts differently to hard times that come in life, we do all face the same situation. The decision to face this together and pray together is a strengthening bond of our communion.

We truly share a common union in that we are all affected by this situation. It affects each of us differently and to varying degrees, of which we need to be sensitive. But it affects us all nonetheless, therefore creating a common union.

Since we share a common union, it only seems right that we help eachother through this time by engaging in communion with eachother.

“Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2