You walk into a crowded room searching the beautifully decorated tables for familiar faces. A couple of friends are standing in a group laughing and carrying on a lively conversation. They notice you and perform the acquaintance smile (you know, the half-smile with the head nod). You continue to look around and see a few more familiar faces, but for some reason nobody is coming up to talk to you. Then, the uncomfortable feelings start settling in. You quickly try to make it to the area of refreshments, so you can at least hold something in your hand (because nothing is classier than a flailing hand to the side). However, as you search once again to even find a seat, you realize in a completely crowded venue, you feel totally alone. And it is a horrible feeling. What I have to come embrace is being set aside is actually being set apart for a greater purpose I might never fully understand.
Loneliness has become more of an epidemic than ever before with technology and social media imploding our lives. In fact, I really ponder why it is called “social media” because it has actually made us “unsocial!” We can have 785 Facebook friends and 989 Twitter followers, but we are lucky to have one real friend! Are we substituting real continuity for an easy swipe of a screen?
What is even more alarming is loneliness is what most of us feel but never want to admit. Some of the loneliest individuals in the world are actually surrounded by people. I believe one reason people feel lonely is due to lacking anyone they can completely trust. Downward spirals of emotions begin to flood our secret insecurity, and loneliness invites itself right in. I want to encourage you – to have a real friend, you have to be a real friend. Make a commitment today to be the Real You…authenticity will always trump deception.
I hope, as Moms, we can unite together to share real life, with real kids, real marriages, real singleness and real struggles. Surviving and even thriving through all of this can be conquered when our confidence is rooted in spiritual belief. Unmeasurable love fills a lonely void that can’t be obtained anywhere else.
Be Real ~ Be You!
Great post!