Week 3, Day 5: Loneliness

Do you ever feel alone, even when you're very much not alone? This afternoon, I felt a great wave of loneliness... yet I was in the middle of a frenzied Christmas shopping crowd. I have also felt stings of it at various times for various reasons. While I know that many of my feelings of loneliness come because of my relationship status, I also wonder if all of us at times in our lives feel lonely, maybe even more often than we realize. We may not at those times of loneliness be entirely alone. We could be surrounded by many and still feel alone.

This is my alone picture. Don't I look lonely?!

I wonder if it's just a mortal feeling caused by our mortal condition. I have been thinking a lot lately about our soul's longing for Home. Tonight, after thinking about my loneliness, I read an article by Inez S. Searle in the August 1992 Ensign called Alone, but Not Lonely.While much of it was counsel to single members of the Church, the following advice applied to all of us, single, married, whatever:

"Without a doubt, prayer is one of the greatest sources of strength for Church members—married or single. Many echoed my own feelings as they talked of the comfort of knowing that there was always someone who would listen to them and care about them. I certainly do not feel alone when I am praying."

I love this. I have never felt alone while praying either. Isn't that great? So no matter our situation or whether we're alone or just lonely, He is there and anxious to listen and carry this sometimes crushingly heavy load. How grateful I am to have my time with Him. In fact, I think I'll go take some! :)