Where would I be without my friends?  It's hard to tell, really--probably in the loonie bin!  My friends are the people who calm me down; cheer me up; and help me keep a steady pace, even in the midst of the craziest life-storms I ride out.

I was reminded of that last week as I gathered with a group of friends--some I've known for almost 20 years, and others for just a couple of years--to pray before a meal.  Gathered in a circle, the 12 to 15 of us joined hands, bowed our heads and closed our eyes.  The words that were offered in that time have been completely forgotten, but what I do remember so distinctly is the feeling.  And I mean literally, the feeling:  the feeling of my hand in the hands of those on either side of me.

Now, some of us are 'palms up' people, and some are 'palms down' people.  Personally, I prefer palms-up, but, for some reason, on this day it didn't matter.  We just joined hands.  And suddenly I was aware of the feeling of those hands meeting.  The pulsing of my neighbours' hands was real and strong and alive.  The pulsing of my hands was no different.  Not exactly in time with each other, but certainly in concert with each other, our hands were creating a symphony of strong and weak pulses:  BOOM, boom; boom, boom; BOOM, BOOM; boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.

I don't think I have ever been quite so aware of another person as I was in that circle.  Here were two lives, each lived in very different spheres, yet yoked together by the pulsing of our hands.  How profound that moment was for me--sacred, even.  It was a moment that spoke to me of the way we are constantly in relationship with others.  It reminded me of the life that comes to me through my friends.  It reminded me that we are always in relationship with other beings around this planet, as well as with God.  But most of all, it reminded me that whatever I do or don't do in this life has an impact--and sometimes a profound impact--on the life of others, even when I am not aware of it.

It's really a matter of community, and grasping the reality that in this life, we live in community with others--around the corner and around the world.  There is nothing I can do that will not affect someone, somewhere.  For good and for bad, I am not alone in this life.  Wherever I go, there will always be heartbeats of others, pulsing in concert with mine; creating a life of community.

And, thank God for that.