I came to Atlanta knowing no one except one or two online. I came without a car but moved within easy bicycling distance of my workplace. I was, however, in suburbia and isolated. Then thew office moved and I got an advance and got a car.
After a few months the car died completely, so I had to get rides until bus lines finally showed up here. So now I spend three and a half to four hours in transit every day. I shop by bus on the weekend. The buses do not run late in the evening, so I cannot go out and participate in any activities. The buses do not run on Sundays, so I cannot go to church.
The lack of social contact is killing. I am not introverted enough. I need contact with other humans. The office is very small and there are no real social opportunities. This soul-killing life has been the slope which I slowly went deeper into depression.
I am hungry, starving, for human contact. I need friendships. I need affection, I need to give affection to another human being. Adonai said in Genesis, “It is not good for the human person to be alone.”
Cue up Psalm 130.