Today my uncle (thank you) posted a frequently seen, yet never old, quote:
“I used to think that the worst thing in life was to end up alone. It’s not.The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone.” – Robin Williams.
We lost a great man when Robin chose to take his own life. He was a talented, witty, and generous human being who aimed to bring joy to those around him.
Each of us feels lonely from time to time.
Whether we are married or single, have family or not.
Whether we have hundreds of ‘friends’, or a handful of acquaintances. Whether our life is full, or not.
But what is loneliness? How do you define it?
The reality is, loneliness is different for everyone. There is no one size fits all. Some are lonely in a crowd. Some are lonely by themselves. Some are lonely with full lives. Some are lonely with quiet lives.
No matter how robust our lives, or how many people or activities we fill our lives with, we can still feel lonely.
Loneliness is a state of mind, and heart. It’s a feeling, and emotion. It can come and go, or come and stay forever. That depends on how we manage it.
Most of us get lonely from time to time.
But instead of looking toward or for others to take it away, why not look within?
Have you lost the connection with yourself?
The reality is, most often people won’t cure our loneliness. If anything, they may fuel it.
We’re all dealing with our own s$#*, our own burdens. As much as we try to support each other, we will fall short.
Loneliness can be an inside job. Loneliness can take some work, some soul-searching to figure out what’s lacking in our lives and what it will take to fulfill that.
People will frequently let us down. People are actually quite skilled at that.
Don’t rely on others for your happiness – or to take away your loneliness.
What brings you joy? What’s your passion? What’s your higher purpose? What propels you out of bed in the morning?
This is the sure route to satisfaction. This is the path to curing loneliness.
Invest in yourself – then share your gifts with others.
