Loneliness and interfaith compassion

For whatever reason, when I moved to a new city, I found an international hostel that seemed to me to be the right place, even though it advertised to a primarily Christian crowd. I knew it would probably feel alienating, but it seemed like the right thing to do. As time went on, the hurt and lonlieness of one particular conservative Christian woman has stuck out to me. Last week, she asked me to study the Bible with her. She does not understand my view on Buddhism, nor the red string around my neck, but that did not matter that lonely night as we sat together and read the Old Testament. Themes of love and humanness stood out to both of us as we shared the night and our thoughts on existence.