Can't find the one you love? The pain of separation - Song of Solomon 3-4

The many who read this blog, know that my wife and I live on a boat. Our boat is a big boat as compared to most some boats (and then again, really little as compared to others). But, no matter how big the boat it can still seem rather small compared to the basic ranch house. The bed in the Master State Room (we have titles for the rooms in our boat) is larger than most but still quite small to many in a regular home. Since the winter months finds us on land (Dirt Dwelling) the house we are now in has a HUGE bed in the Master Bedroom (land lovers have titles for their rooms, too). As a result of this HUGE bed, I can often wake up in the night and not actually find my wife, she is so far away from me. I kid her in the morning that she must have been sleeping in a different zip code. I can relate to the bride dilema in this section in 3:1. "On my bed night after night I saught him whom my soul loves; I sought him but did not find him." The bride states this statement one more time in the next verse. Unlike my dilema of simply having a bed too big, the bride either was dreaming or really experiencing the temporary loss of her love. I tend to believe it was a dream, as the two are not yet married (that comes in chapter four). But, never-the-less, the feeling of not being able to find the one you love is a gut-wrenching journey. To wake up and find them "missing" is painful. To go into the village and ask the night watchmen is embarassing and yet fearful (3:3). When she finally found him, she "held on to him and would not let him go" (3:4). Failure to find the one you love, even temporarily, is a sick feeling in your life The feeling of separation, if only for a moment, is fearful and hurtful. There are times in relationships that this happens to us. At times we are separated from our love through a misunderstanding, a compulsive wrong, or, even deliberate pouting. Thankfully, the bride in our story is once again united with her love. Regrettfully that is not always the case with us. For a healthy relationship, keep the "separations" short and the "held on to him and would not let him go" long. If you wake up and find your love in the next zip code go on the journey to find him/her. The bride could have stayed home and waited, but instead he sought him out. Make the first step to seek him/her out.