Loneliness

Loneliness is an epidemic, even in the U.S.  People may feel isolated and lonely because of death, age, divorce, moving, children growing up and of so many other things.  I remember a transition period in my life where I dreaded weekends because I would be alone.  If I had at least one plan for the weekend, it would be so much easier.  I would go to church and wish someone would ask me to go to lunch with them.  I had family nearby, but everyone was busy with their own lives!

Mother Teresa talks about the poverty of feeling unwanted in the following quote:

"It is easy to think of the poverty far away and forget very quickly. Today a great disease is that feeling of terrible loneliness, the feeling of being unwanted, having forgotten what human joy is, what the human feeling is of being wanted or loved.  I think this is found in very well-to-do families also.

We may not have people hungry for a plate of rice or for a piece of bread in New York City, but there is a tremendous hunger and a tremendous feeling of unwantedness everywhere  And that is really a very great poverty." 

When we think of doing good, we often think of material things or deeds that take a lot of time.  Sometimes the biggest things we do are the small things that tell someone they matter.  Here is one of my favorite quotes: 

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel!"  by Maya Angelou

A note, flower from you garden, a few homemade cookies, sharing something you found on sale or anything that tells someone that you took a minute to think about them can change someone's day or maybe even their life.

Is there something you could do today to relieve the loneliness of someone around you?  Could one of your family members be lonely?

"Every day we are called to do small things with great love."- Mother Teresa