What To Do With Loneliness

"Life may be brimming over with experience, but somewhere,

deep inside, all of us carry a vast and fruitful loneliness

wherever we go."

Etty Hillesum

It is not unusual to feel a loneliness inside, and it doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong.  During this period of virus isolation, we have seen far fewer people whether traveling to and from work or simply running errands.  It is also a fact that as we age, we spend less time with others, friends pass or relocate.

Loneliness can have numerous origins.  Some experience loneliness from being cooped up with children and not enough adult conversation or just the opposite, children are gone and no conversation.  Husbands may be introverted and we may have politely bowed out of long standing positions with clubs or groups.   We make choices as to how we want to spend our time.  If we are saturated with reading material and writing projects, loneliness at some point catches up with us. 

We have the option to use this space in time for simply pondering or engaging in an outdoor project or a new walking regime.  Loneliness simply presents itself, but we can easily adjust if we alter our routines.  Loneliness can be a concern if it is allowed to spiral out of control, filled with worries and fear; so  prepare ideas for when a pause enters life, as it is part of our process.