Loneliness Defeated

I’m lonely, I thought, not at all sure what the word meant or what to do with the feeling that was gnawing at my innards.

The Creator and I were lying in some lush green grass watching the sun begin to dip near the horizon. We had just finished with the naming of the animals and something bothered me.

“I’m lonely,” I told Him, “and I don’t even know what that means. As we’ve been naming animals, I noticed there are always at least two of them. Two lions — a he and a she. Two whales, a he and a she. Two picas, a he and a she. No matter if they were four-legged, feathery or finny, there were two of them — a he and a she.”

He smiled over at me.

“Somewhere in the naming, which by the way I enjoyed very much and during which I made many new friends, I began wondering where my 'she' was. That’s when I began feeling the 'lonely' thing. Do you know what I mean?”

He stood and started walking toward the silver stream that came from the great tree.

“Come along and let’s see if we can do something about lonely,” He invited.

I followed, chased by a pair of bounding kangaroos, two giant dogs and a dozen rabbits.

He stopped near the base of the tree.

“Where did you say you’re lonely?”

I put my hand over my heart, and He placed His hand over mine.

“Lie down beside the tree, and I’ll see what I can do.”

I lay down and felt Him reach in beside my heart and pull one of my ribs — twisted it right out of its socket like maybe it was an extra He had placed there for this very moment. I slept then.

“Adam,” He called me. I continued to dream.

“Adam,” He called again, and I began to see colors and hear sounds like before. Then I saw His face and relaxed.

“Adam.”

This time I woke full up, and there, standing beside Him all tall and graceful and shining golden brown in the evening sunlight, was the most wonderful sight I had ever hoped to see. I still cannot describe her. Her face was magical and dreamy and misty and strong and glowing with a love deeper than anything I had seen in the few hours I had been seeing things. And … .

“Adam.” I tore my eyes from her and looked at Him. “She is flesh of your flesh, bone of your bone, the love of your life. What will you call her?”

"Her name is Eve," I mumbled in awe. She is beautiful, the mother of all mankind.

I was sublimely captivated by the creature at the Creator’s side.

“Adam and Eve,” He laughed so joyfully that the stream rippled. "Always remember I used a bone from beside your heart — so you will walk side by side as equals."

Adam and Eve. Today, together, we have defeated loneliness.

If you ever feel lonely, here’s a way for you and the Creator to care for the ache. Think of someone you know who may be sad, hurting or even lonely. Say a prayer for that person and then send a text letting them know you care. When you reach out to another, your own loneliness slips away.