To know God involves knowing those with whom you agree and disagree.

To know God, you must know your neighbor. You must know your family and friends. You must know those with whom you work. You must know those with whom you deeply disagree. You must know much about what surrounds you. It is through that awareness, that knowing, which is not necessarily complete, but you are at least aware, that you see and feel the presence of God.

One can feel very isolated in a relationship, almost like living alone, but even when living with someone with whom one has profound differences, the heart vision can still be opened. That opportunity for growth would be denied if you were truly alone. Of course, there are times when you feel a need to pull back, to reflect, and to shut out the noise of life around you, but that is not the isolation we speak of. We speak of people who for one reason or another feel they must permanently shut out the light of life beyond where they are and who they are. In such circumstances, it is difficult to know God’s presence, to recognize it. One can think about it. One can intellectualize about it. But feeling it to the core is infinitely more intense, more deeply felt when it is experienced while in community with others.