At one time or another, all of us have experienced feelings of loneliness. While it may be temporary, for many it seems to be a chronic condition. A story from a recent PastorServe leter caught my eye as it discussed the magnitude of the problem in England. The letter states:
The United Kingdom recently created a new official government position; Minister of Loneliness. According to research, Britain has an epidemic problem with loneliness. In fact, a study reported that more than nine million people in the country often or always feel lonely. Many of the nine million reported that they commonly go months without a conversation with a friend or family member.
While this is a sad situation, I am confident it is not unique to Britain. I work with individuals on a regular basis who experience periods of loneliness. But it is not because they go for months without conversation. These individuals are more often than not married, employed, and may even have children. Yet they feel disconnected from the very people they are around. This can serve to magnify their loneliness.
No one likes to be lonely. My tip this week is simple – reach out and connect with someone. It may be your spouse or a coworker who sits in the desk next to you five days a week. But they may be desperate to know that someone cares. Connecting with them may lift the weight of their loneliness . . . and if may help yours as well.