other presences

Despite being an English major and a~it must be said~voracious reader, I have yet to read an Updike novel.  However, I stumbled upon this quote last night and thought it was too gorgeous to keep to myself.  Happy weekend all y'all!

"Being human cannot be borne alone.  We need other presences.  We need soft night noises~a mother speaking downstairs, a grandfather rumbling in response, cars swishing past on Philadelphia Avenue and their headlights wheeling around the room.  We need the little clicks and signs of a sustaining otherness.  We need the Gods."

~Updike