John and I lead a few groups each week. In this time of isolation it goes a long way toward keeping connected. Two are women's groups, one is for inquisitive people John has never met, and four are for couples. As the days grow shorter the chance to peek into the homes of friends pushes back the shadows. One evening I caught sight of a flickering fireplace. The couple sat cozily next to it, and although I could not feel the warmth, somehow it blessed me as well. Another time I noticed a bright star over the shoulder of a woman who lives close to the Arctic Circle. She smiled and said all the homes have them. 

 

"The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light."

 

It sounds as if she and her neighbors have adapted to coexisting under the whimsy of the sun. 

 

Most of my life I have swaggered with the liberty to choose when and where to go. But rules have changed, and continue to do so. Can I find a symbiotic relationship with those limitations? If I give a little, will they as well?

 

Online small groups have been a gift I did not appreciate before the world slammed shut. Scaling back my assumptions helps too. It can be hard to relinquish opportunities we have long enjoyed. But as anyone who has been on a diet, or complied with a budget, or held their wagging tongue knows, it's possible. 

 

In the new year John and I will add another group to our routine. We are looking for others who find solace in links. The only cost is time and a working router.