Alone or Lonliness?

 The 18-25 year old demographic seems to be the loneliest people.  They are spending hundreds a week for gym memberships that include climbing walls, and are joining art classes, and spend upwards of $500 a month dining out.  It seems working from home and the pandemic have isolated the younger generation into being alone a lot.  

But it happens to all ages where social media doesn't meet the needs of isolation, but rather contributes to it.  People by our very nature are social beings.  We crave connectivity to others.

But there is a difference between being alone and being lonely.  Loneliness is an environmental factor in alcohol and drug use.  But there is a difference between loneliness and being alone.  Some people can be alone without feeling lonely, but that all depends.  Loneliness is a contributor to health issues and even death.  

Writers and artists spend a lot of time alone, but these aren't the only occupations which threatens well-being. As I said earlier working from home without the camaraderie of an office, leads to loneliness and depression.  One needs a regular schedule for activities outside the home.  Belonging to a community is necessary for survival of the human spirit.  This is why so many communities were structured around home, school, and church.  

School is where one makes lifetime friends.  Homes are no longer what they were back in the day.  And churches are no longer a centerpiece of social life.  The Internet has changed all that.  And while there is dialogue in the various online communities, there isn't the socialization that takes place as if one were in an office.

There is a difference between being alone and being lonely.  How one interacts with the Divine is a contributing factor of being alone without being lonely.  But still socialization is a must for everyone.  It is necessary for the health of one's heart.  It is necessary for one's mind.  

I write these blogs because doing so keeps me connected to at least a few.  These posts are no substitute for personal interaction.  And while I might spend a lot of time alone, that alone time connects me with the Divine.  Maybe I need more interpersonal interaction. But often I want less of it.  I do however, make exceptions.  

My pipe is just a thing.  But to a pipe smoker, a pipe knows all one's thoughts.  It becomes a best friend.  But a pipe can't replace people.  It simply becomes a part of the conversation.  Today it is my Savinelli Churchwarden Favola pipe with some Cellar Reserve.  I thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you.

Dave