Loneliness and lonesomeness

 "Lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely, I have nobody to call my own" (A song from our youth)

Loneliness is not only to be without companions. Loneliness, to be precise about it, is to be without comforting companions. 

One can become lonely in the midst of a boisterous company. 

Loneliness is not even solitariness, which means to be physically alone. Loneliness is internal while solitariness is external. 

Loneliness is not even solitude, which is an intentional disassociation from other people to do some serious reflection or to give vent to inconsolable grief. 

Solitude is often intentional while loneliness is often inflicted. Loneliness is solitude except that is often inflicted rather than intentional.

May you be gifted with the spiritual skill of not allowing loneliness to batter you emotionally to a situation where you will say "nobody cares; I have no one in this world"


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Loneliness, Nostalgia, Lonesomeness:

Loneliness is not nostalgia, which is a mixed feeling of pain and pleasure for things or events of the past. Loneliness is the refusal to find hope in the future and contentment at the present.

Loneliness is not even sadness although these are, to some extent, alike in both content and impact. Sadness is about a temporary loss while loneliness is about a permanent loss. 

The distinction between sadness and loneliness is that sadness tends to be temporary and short-lived while loneliness tends to be longer lasting and more damaging. 

Loneliness is not even lonesomeness. Loneliness is oftentimes intentionally hidden while lonesomeness is usually made visible by a dejected face and a depressed behavior. 

Lonesomeness triggers a forlorn attitude and appearance while loneliness may be expertly hidden from public view while a person goes about his daily life without his skills hampered by the turmoil inside.

How would you know if what you are going through is loneliness? If you recall something in your past and some strong feeling is generated, more likely it is Nostalgia. 

If you start concluding that you have no one to call your own and there is no one who calls you his/her own, then you are lonely. Be careful. Loneliness can remove from you any sense of life even while you are alive.

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By Ptr Doy Castillo