Surrounded but alone

So many people these days are alone.

Surrounded by people, large “friends” lists on social media and yet still alone.

The reasons for this are many. Distraction, preoccupation, busyness are at the top of the list. But let’s not blame it all on these things. The reality is that many of us have not opened wide our hearts to the people around us. Perhaps we have bought into the lie of the Enemy that the best way to take care of our heart is to close it off from people to keep from getting hurt.

We know that “screen time” is hurting the development of our relationships but so is lack of vulnerability and self-disclosure. Obviously we don’t have to pour out every sordid detail of our thoughts, emotions and dreams to every passing stranger. But on the other hand if we keep all of our cards so “close to the vest” that no one ever knows what we are thinking or going through, how will we ever build bonds of love?

Sometimes the scariest thing is taking the first step. Sometimes, it’s taking the next step. What we all simply must do is trust our heart to the Lord Jesus Christ so that He will protect it and furthermore that He will strengthen and give us courage to love others and open up to them. It takes time, it takes trying and it takes trusting, but it is worth it!

A sign my mother-in-law had in her living room said “It takes a long time to grow old friends” but we better get started now if we want to grow some old friends.

CS Lewis once said this:

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket — safe, dark, motionless, airless — it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”

Please, don’t let yourself be surrounded by people and yet be all alone. God has given us the gift of each other. Let us open wide our hearts to each other, learn to love and receive the beautiful reward of friendship.