This entry was posted on January 23, 2014
Guaranteed I have a little bit of extra insight into people’s lives but with that said I think most people have the ability to recognise when someone is lonely and there are some dreadfully lonely people around & I’m sure if we looked with our hearts rather than our eyes, that we’d all see it.
I feel it. I often feel it before I spot the person. Sometimes they’re old, sometimes they’re young. Loneliness is a pain that anyone can feel. This post came from an experience I just had earlier today. I was driving to my office and I felt a pang of loneliness in my heart. I’m used to this, it happens every so often. I stopped at the traffic lights so took advantage and looked around. Immediately I spotted the person I’d connected with. He was an old chap, out for a walk deliberately during the school pick up time and I just knew it was because he needed to see people. He’d deliberately organised his walk to coincide with a time where even though he’d feel in the way, he’d see people and maybe, just maybe they’d acknowledge him. All I wanted to do was jump out of my car, run up and hug him. Needless to say that would have been wildly inappropriate, not to mention dangerous as I would have had to abandon my car in the middle of a busy road. So instead I wished that all those people that were walking past him, stopped and smiled and acknowledged him and I really hope they did. My heart bled when I felt his pain. When I saw that he felt in the way of the children and parents and push chairs and fuss but that all he wanted was to be seen. To be acknowledged.
Being acknowledged is a hugely important part of being human. We’re not designed to be on our own, we’re social beings. Even if we only like to see someone once a day, once a week or once a month, there is only so long we can feel vibrant on our own. There’s a reason isolation is considered a punishment and sends most people bonkers. We were made to connect with each other so let’s connect more.
Next time you think you see someone like this, smile at them. Acknowledge them. Hold eye contact. Connect.
Every ounce of joy we add to the world is an ounce that isn’t pain and whether we consider it a spiritual thing or not, that’s a human thing & a kind thing! Let the ripples of your kindness spread out into the world. Remember we will never know the full impact that we’ve had,xx