IT'S EPIDEMIC

This past week I had lunch with an old friend I had not seen for some time.  I came away reminded of a wide spread epidemic in today's world~Loneliness.  We have evolved into a technologically driven world with every modern convenience at our fingertips~and perhaps we are more alone than ever. 

Loneliness has no boundaries--it afflicts both sexes, all economic classes, all ages,  all education levels, every nationality~in fact every social group you can come up with.  We have slowly evolved into an isolated society with phones in our hands, eyes cast down, continually scanning our screens for what we might need to know while the world moves around us.  We seem to have lost the ability to interact face to face except in brief forced spurts where we grasp for something to talk about.  Often we end up talking about what we have seen on social media in those desperate grasps for conversation.   A deep fog of isolation and the quiet stillness of separation fill our days and nights.

My friend spoke of the good advice to keep busy from well meaning friends.  Unfortunately busyness can be achieved in the midst of being alone.  There is only one cure for loneliness and it always involves others.  Somehow-someway we have to break through our shells, step away from our media devices, and seek the companionship of our fellow man.  

The blame certainly does not fall completely on those who are lonely.  Loneliness drives us to seek companionship and when all else fails we take any measures necessary to end our isolation-even staring at our devices.  The road which leads to companionship is a two way street.  We must seek others and be open to the approach of those who seek us out.

Well, My Friends, it is one thing to write about this and another to step up to the plate and do something about the lonely ones placed in our paths.  What do I intend to do?  What do you intend to do?  It's time to work to end this epidemic and live as God created us--in communion with one another.