Let's talk loneliness here a moment, shall we? I think there are so many of us feeling a bit lonely as the holidays approach. What I've found about loneliness is that it doesn't really matter how many friends you have in your life. Some people do have friends, but they don't feel as if people really know them, or they don't feel a strong connection. These people perhaps don't need to find more friends, but they do need to learn how to get to know the people in their life in such a way that will chase that loneliness away.
For other folks, finding new friends may be the answer. Either way, know that loneliness is a temporary situation. You can change it! It might be really awful right now, but hang on, because with a little work on your part things could be much brighter for you down the road.
First step? Some motivation. That's where these quotes on loneliness should help. At the very least they will help remind you that other people, even famous folks, have felt loneliness in the past. It isn't just you. At most, perhaps these quotes will give you a nudge to get out a bit more so you can meet a few more people. That's how friendships start, just by getting out and interacting with people.
When the holidays come, and I’m mostly alone, I think of how grateful I am that I’m an introvert and how much harder it must be for an extrovert to cope with being alone for the holidays. I think of all the people who are alone for the holidays, just in The US and hope that their holidays are a little less lonely because someone they don’t even know is thinking of them and with them in spirit. I think of all the people worldwide who don’t have enough food, shelter and clothing, let alone Xmas presents, day after day after day. People who are in prisons that are far worse than any prison in The US. I am not rich but I have more than enough money, and I try to make the Xmas of a family with children a little better. As much as I’ve enjoyed your blog, Cherie, I don’t think it’s an absolute necessity to have friends. I do know some people, through my very small exercise class (5 mornings a week), with whom I’ve become ‘friends’ of sorts and who would help me, say, with the aftermath of a surgery (food shopping, house cleaning, laundry — well, maybe not laundry LOL), but I don’t have any close friends, and I am pretty much OK with that. If you want to blog about something, I think one about the great benefits of solitude and silence would be good, because we don’t know how to be alone, without the TV on. One of the best books I’ve ever read re silence and solitude is “Celebrating Time Alone” by Lionel Fisher.
Thanks for your comment, and you bring up some interesting points. I do think it’s healthy to have friends, but I know that “having friends” means something different to everyone. Having people who will help you when you need it (like you do) is enough for you (and that is great) but it wouldn’t be for some other people. So I hope I’m able to give some good advice to those people who are looking for more people in their.
I like your point about the benefits of solitude, and I actually have something in the works about that. I’ve been writing about loneliness, and as you know, some people think loneliness is the same as solitude. So I want to make sure folks know the difference is. You should be seeing those articles shortly. Maybe I’ll post a link to them in the forum as well as here.
It sounds like you’re content and happy, and that you have just the right amount of people in your life for you.
The loneliness that i have been suffering has to do with being in a foreign country, and having had a traumatic experience while being a foreigner. I do not have the supportive network as in my native country, and further i have found people in the U.S. to be rather superficial even those who would emigrated here from my native country, who would have at least known their native country’s culture. The U.S. changes people. It is rather shocking.
i can relate to u. i am goin thru the same. looking for someone to talk about that with.
i m feeling lonely this time . But i know it is a temporary situation. We all have to be with our parents this time. Beacause they are the real Heroes of our life. We are nothing without them.