Sunday, July 28, 2024
Today's Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:
And if by chance that special place that you've been dreaming of leads you to a lonely place, find your strength in love.
-- Michael Masser and Linda Creed
Between disconnection and connection there is a time of transition. That time is called loneliness. During those moments, we choose what to do with that loneliness. We can stay in the lonely place as long as we need to; it's not necessary to force ourselves to move out of it before we're ready. But eventually we must move or the loneliness will deepen, becoming a desert of isolation where we cannot find our way out.
We are meant to be connected to many things: to God, to ourselves, to other people, to life. Maybe the purpose of loneliness is to provide the transition to connection. Rather than experiencing loneliness as something we deserve, or something we brought on ourselves, we can become aware of the deep longing within ourselves to be part of a wider world. We can then do our best to meet our needs and feel pleasure when they are met.
I will let my loneliness provide the impetus for moving me to a different place. I will be patient and gentle with my need for connection.
Hazelden Foundation
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