As the woman came walking through the exit she was weeping. There were squeals of joy as she ran into the arms of the waiting people. Big tears fell from her cheeks as she came into their arms. Then a small girl helped me to understand when she said loudly for all to hear, “Grandma, Welcome to Toronto!” It apparently had been a long time since they had seen each other. This was the moment that loneliness was wiped out… reunions do that in a wonderful way.

I have come to realize that loneliness may have become the new norm for many in our world. I see it on faces each day. People that are living among the living but are unknown. Not only unknown – but all alone too. You can be in a large crowd but not seen and not known. You can be among people that say they care but have no one talk to you at all. You are all alone.

Just one person to talk to is a gift greater than one offered in Christmas wrapping.

I remember stories of both my grandmothers feeling a deep loneliness as they lived out their roles as young mothers miles from anyone to talk to. In southern Saskatchewan it is a long way from no where. Their husbands were in the fields for long days and the wind blew incessantly outside magnifying the deep loneliness inside. Yes you can be in among family and be lonely – very lonely with no one to talk to.

This week I feel a deep sense of loneliness again. It was 20 years ago that my dad passed away from a heart attack. There are times that I wish that I could call him again and just talk. But then so does my mom – who now lives with us. She knows loneliness but doesn’t talk about it often. She said a little…. but this year is even harder. This year the people that she knew so well are so far away. I know she is lonely too – for dad and for friends.

When loneliness strikes it is hard to know what to do. No one knows what to do except stare it in the face and cry.

I met a man recently that had just been released from prison. He missed his cell mates and the guys on the range. He missed the times of smoking together. Now he was alone. He felt like everyone in the city hated him because he had this invisible number emblazoned on his forehead and the word – “Guilty!”

I met a senior that has no one left. Yes children come from time to time – but no one wants to know how her day went. And she has no one to ask about their day either.

Bob Barker and Oprah Winfrey make you laugh – but never call to see how you are doing. They are in the TV and never get out. Even the good Christian “TV talkers” are empty and only asks for more donations to keep the program on the air. The one stated that they were… “so glad to meet this way each day in your living room.” Truly an empty friendship that is…

A One Man Crusade…
My mom said something the other that has made me think deeply. She said she had tried to meet some one in the store but they didn’t want to talk. She had greeted another person and they looked at her funny. No one wanted to talk – no one.

I have thought of that often. There are a lot of moms – like mine. They go for walks to just get away from the facing up to loneliness. When they get to where they are going – they find loneliness – not a new friend.

My one man’s crusade is to be a friend to more people that are lonely. When they smile at me – I intend to talk. When they say something I need to listen. When they comment beside me – I need to listen better. Is the ‘product’ they are talking about really what they are talking about – or do they just need some one to listen?

I need some new friends today – How about you?

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~

Some quotes that I have found…

"We are all angels with only one wing...we can fly only embracing each other."
"Strangers are just friends waiting to happen."
"The better part of one's life consists of his friendships."
"Your friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you."
"Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity."
"What is a friend? A single soul in two bodies."
"Grief can take care of itself, but to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with."
"A friend is a gift you give yourself."

Source - http://www.friendship.com.au/quotes/quofri.html