Connecting

We live in a strange time. We live in an age where cellphones are almost never out of reach. I can let 541 people know what I had for lunch on any given day with a few taps on my keyboard. We are so constantly being updated on every little detail of people we hardly know that we can feel very connected to the world around us. We can also feel very disconnected. Just because 541 people know what I ate for lunch, doesn't mean that they know that I might have eaten it alone and felt left out of the circle of people who all had someone to eat with. 

There is yet another story of a young hollywood actor today who has died much too soon. I can't help but wonder, with all his fans and friends and what seemed to be a large support system, was anyone really connecting with him? Or, like in the case of so many others who have gone down that road before him, did he feel alone amidst the masses? I know I can't be the only one who has ever felt lonely in a room full of people before. 

Facebook has become a place for political tirades and silly stories, but what about when you need a heart to heart? For some reason, people sometimes feel too ashamed to ask for help. I will be the first to admit that I need help sometimes, and I know that I have people I can ask who will readily respond to my SOS. Many of the people we know aren't that lucky. 

If you have people you know you can go to, I would encourage you to look for those in your spheres of influence who don't. Be that person for someone else. 

If you don't have someone you feel like you can go to, please don't be afraid to ask for help. I for one would much rather someone be real with me than to know that they have played eight levels of Candy Crush and listened to the Backstreet Boys all day. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to ask for help, but the risk of not asking is too high. Whether it be a professional or a friend, please seek someone who can stand with you when the world around you shakes. 

Please, instead of hiding and trying to just wish away pain, lets be real with each other. Let's get involved in each others lives. Let's not be afraid to invite someone into our mess and ask for help in organizing the debris. I never want anyone to feel like they have nowhere to turn, and no one to listen. While God is always there when we need him, sometimes we need someone to hold our hand and pray with us. Let's get involved, and not in a facebook friend kind of way, but a face to face real life kind of way. 

Today I want everyone who reads this to know that they aren't alone. God does't make mistakes and he made you. God answers prayer and my prayer today is that no one feels alone in their chaos. God has equipped professionals with the tools to help people process the darkness they feel, and he has given us the gift of friendship. Don't be satisfied with virtual friendships, seek to be a real friend to someone today.