Loneliness After a Loss

“I’m Lonely,” said Joe. Alice, his wife, had died the year before and he was struggling. It had been very unexpected. Like most men, if he had thought at of it all, he expected to die first. Nothing was fun without her. He thought, “I need younger friends, but where can I find them?”

Someone told Joe about a grief support group at a local hospital. At first, he didn’t think it would help. It might be depressing. But he decided to try it and it wasn’t too bad. Everyone made him feel welcome.

He kept going and found that he could share or just sit and listen to others. It helped to know he wasn’t the only one who had lost someone as special as Alice. He enjoyed the social events the group had, the dinners and outings. Best of all, he could help the new members by listening and caring.

There are many kinds of loss. Not just death, but loss of job, loss of one of our abilities, or our mobility. It’s hard to cope with these things by ourselves. One way is to have helpful friends who have gone through the grief or loss journey.

There is another friend who never sleeps, is never too busy and is never on vacation. God is one who will walk beside you in your sorrow. Maybe you don’t believe in God yet. That’s okay. Ask Him to make himself real to you.

Maybe He didn’t answer a prayer the way you wanted it. So you are angry with Him. That’s okay too. He understands. He will always be there waiting for you because he is Love.

I hope that you will find true friends on your journey as Joe did and that some day you will find the True Friend.