Lonely or Aloneness? What is the difference?

I was listening to Night Sounds with Bill Pierce a couple of nights ago where he talked about the difference between loneliness and aloneness. Reminded me of the song, Lonely Voices Crying in the City by Billie Banks, 1967

Lonely voices crying in the city,

Lonely voices sounding like a child.

Lonely voices come from busy people,

Too disturbed to stop a little while.

Lonely voices fill my dreams,

Lonely voices haunt my memory…

There are a lot of lonely people. In the last 20 years we have seen a lot of people drawn to the Internet who are lonely. The Internet being the new phenomena introduces us to ways in which lonely people seek connection in cyberspace.

Loneliness affects all age groups, but since now I am older I've been thinking about how loneliness finds its way in the lives of many senior citizens. I have shared with you how 25% of us by the age 63 are clinically depressed. The feeling of loneliness has to factor in. Loneliness has a painful, maybe even bitter feeling.

Aloneness is something quite a bit different. I remember watching a shop owner from Iowa move to Alaska and for 30 years enjoy living in an isolated life on a lake where he made his own log cabin to carve out for himself a way to survive the bitter cold and beautiful summers. Every day gave himself to the task of making his life better as he lived in the wilderness. He gave it up when he was in his 80s because you got tired of the cold weather and move back into a retirement home. (1960's PBS production)

Aloneness doesn't have to be this extreme. In might be sometime in the morning or late night where you have a quiet time or you're reading, listening to music, go for a walk. You may like Leroy Jethro Gibbs go down to the basement to build a boat with your own hands. These examples of aloneness move us away from that hustle and bustle of regular life that can be as enjoyable as drinking your favorite beverage or viewing a work of art or nature caught in the pleasure of your own thoughts. Prayer can be this. I think even writing can be part of this aloneness that can be enjoyable.  For most of us the short periods of aloneness can add tremendously to the quality of our life.

I'll leave you tonight with the thought of the differences between loneliness and aloneness. We want to cut down loneliness and find ways to enjoy our aloneness. Keep walking