Loneliness

“One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do
Two can be as bad as one…”

—Harry Nilsson

Ever heard this song? And have you ever been surrounded by friends and family and still felt lonely?

I woke up one morning with that familiar feeling of loneliness. As I lay there reflecting on it, I reminded myself that I had experienced that same feeling many times before—even when I was married and my children were still living at home.

How is it possible to feel lonely when you are surrounded by people you love?

After some reflection, I came to an awareness that feels true for me: the root of my loneliness is often disconnection.

Not necessarily disconnection from other people, but disconnection from myself—my spirit, my soul, my Higher Self.

When I am disconnected from my own inner self, how can I fully experience connection with others?

That realization led me to another question:

What can I do to change it?

The answer may seem obvious: reconnect with my inner self.

But how do we actually do that?

Meditation?
Breathwork?
Yoga?
Walking in nature?
Journaling?
Prayer?
Quietly sitting and listening?

Perhaps it is all of these things—or none of them.

I don't believe there is one magic bullet or perfect prescription for loneliness. I think it is about discovering what helps us feel connected and then making it a practice.

And practice is the key.

There may be days when we feel deeply connected and peaceful. And there may be other days when loneliness unexpectedly rises to the surface, even when nothing in our external circumstances has changed.

When that happens, I am learning not to judge the feeling or immediately try to make it go away.

Instead, I can pause.

I can breathe.

I can turn inward and remind myself of something I sometimes forget:

I am not alone.

I am part of something greater than myself. I am held by a Higher Power. I am loved.

Maybe loneliness isn't always asking us to find more people.

Maybe sometimes it is inviting us to come home to ourselves.

And perhaps, in that quiet return, we discover that we were never truly alone.

A gentle reminder for today:
I am connected. I am supported. I am loved. I am never alone.