TITLE: LONELINESS 9/13/14 By Rachel Jamerson 09/13/14 |
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Loneliness is an unpleasant feeling in which a person feels a strong sense of emptiness and solitude resulting from inadequate levels of social relationships. (Wikipedia)
This definition would seem to infer that if you participate in various social activities and have a close circle of friends, you would not face loneliness. However, I have found myself feeling isolated and very alone in large groups of people and various social gatherings.
Over the years I have come to realize it is not your environment, or even the people you interact with, that makes the difference. It is the ability to connect with others on a level that affirms and validates your own significance.
It is possible to live out your life in a house filled with family members who love and care for you yet die an unhappy and unfulfilled individual. It is also possible to connect with someone you meet for the first time and prefer their company to that of a family member or spouse. What makes the difference?
We are all unique individuals packed for a purpose. Our natural gifts and talents complement our purpose. From early childhood hints of our destiny will begin to manifest in our lives.
I have a grandson who actually suffered mild lead poisoning from chewing on the head of a small hammer in his grandfather's wood shop. As soon as he was old enough - he used that hammer to drive nails into whatever piece of wood he could find. Lots of nails! He had much rather have a toy gun or knife cut from a block of wood than one purchased from the mall. I think it is safe to say he will not become a computer Guru like his uncle, fascinated with the mysterious world of Technology. Instead he is likely to create unbelievable works of art with hardly more than a hammer and saw, as did his grandfather before him.
There are so many things that set us apart from other people and yet those same things draw us into rewarding relationships with others as well. However, we will not be validated by everyone who is a part of our lives. Perhaps the key to avoiding loneliness is to give ourselves to whatever God designed to do - that in its self will supply the validation we so desperately need. If we are lucky enough to find individuals who share our passions, that my friend is a special blessing.
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