Alone

21 Aug

“It is far better to be alone, than to be in bad company.”  ~ George Washington

There is something that many people dread: being alone.   That is because they often confuse being alone with being lonely.  I remember a seminary professor a long time ago talking to us about this.  He said that there was a vast difference between being alone and being lonely.  He cited examples of people who claimed to feel lonely even in the midst of huge crowds.  It is true that, in a large group, someone can easily feel lonely.  That person might not be alone; but, that person can feel lonely.

It is loneliness that we most often truly dread, not being alone.  Because of this fear of being lonely, some will go to great lengths to surround themselves with people and with frenetic activity.  They do anything they can to stave off the feeling of loneliness.  However, when they employ these kinds of tactics, they often end up in trouble because the people with which they surround themselves and the activities in which they engage might not be the best for them.  They would be much better off alone, than in bad company.

We have to learn how to live with ourselves: our doubts, our fears, and our darkness.  If we do not learn how to master those, we will not be able to live as well-adjusted people.  The noise of this world will distract us and keep us from working on the things that make us feel off kilter.  That is why we have to be comfortable with being alone.

The worst thing that we can do when we are alone is to try to fill up the moment.  There are those who attempt to fill the moment with noise.  There are others who fill the moment with activity.  There are others who fill up the moment planning.

We need, not to shirk, but, to embrace the time of being alone.  We need to embrace the silence that can come with it.  We need to put aside anything that can distract us because it is in moments of being alone that we can listen to what is happening within.  We can reflect upon the thoughts that come our way.  And we can listen for the quiet, whispering voice of God who is waiting to speak with us.

Do not search for distractions in order to ward off loneliness and end up in bad company.  Instead, embrace the opportunity to be alone and end up in the best company possible: spending time with God.

FAITH ACTION:  Spend some good, quality time with God today.