In the world we live in today, it is not unrealistic to believe that we are a species filled with more loneliness than ever. We have cast off the idea that we can live in a sense of community and we build walls rather than bridge them. There is a sense of vulnerability between neighbors and few of us really ever reach out in total authentic kindness to another. All of this is done in the name of self protection. Of course, all of this self protection leads to more loneliness. We are a people of fear. We fear being rejected as much as we fear being accepted. If we were accepted for our faults and flaws, wouldn’t that mean we would have to accept ourselves as well?
The loneliness of humankind is growing. More people work together in near silence and more people spend their nights married to near strangers. We just aren’t willing to break down our walls, be vulnerable and real, and then we wonder why our marriages fail and our loneliness returns. Of course, there is a remedy to all of this loneliness. We can break it down at will. We can be honest with ourselves and with those in our life. We can offer only a modicum of excuses, but our loneliness is really our own fault. Whenever we choose to come out of the loneliness and into real and true authenticity, there are plenty of people waiting to embrace us.
