We can all find ourselves lonely at times.
Remove our family and friends for even a short period of time, and inevitably loneliness starts to edge in. This isolation need not be physical, and can manifest in even the most densely populated situations. As a result of challenges at work, at home, or within in our own minds we pull back. We turn in. And we begin to shut out those around us. We rationalize this detrimental action with thoughts that others aren’t struggling, that we don’t want to be a burden, and that people might think less of us. Unfortunately, these actions only serve to further isolate us from those we require.
How are we to escape this downward spiral? Solomon offers the wisdom below in Proverbs 25:
“Like a cool drink of water when you’re worn out and weary is a letter from a long-lost friend.”
True engagement with someone we love and trust provides us tangible relief. For we are social creatures; designed for interaction and engagement with one another. We were not designed to operate in indefinite independence. And while we experience individual appetites for the volume of social interaction we engage in, the yearning for people is present in us all. And furthermore, we all possess the power to positively influence those around us by simply reaching out.
So when was the last time you cold-called a friend?
The advent of texting and social media have made phone calls seem increasingly intrusive. But letting that go, when was the last time you made contact with someone you haven’t spoken to in a while? Maybe they could use some encouragement and love. Maybe you could too.
This week let us cast off the false fear of intrusion and realize the worst thing that can happen is a chat with voicemail. Who are you going to call?