Have you ever been lonely?

“Have you ever been lonely? Have you ever been blue?” That’s how the song goes, doesn’t it? And it you are like many people you can identify with that song because you too have felt lonely on occasion.

Of course, you can go out and mix with society – eat alone or go to the cinema – but the worst thing is the secret feeling of shame that sometimes washes over us because being on our own often sends a message that we are alone because we have nobody to be with.

You may be living alone and feel lonely much of the time. Or you may even feel lonely in a crowd – many people feel lonely in their marriages. It is not a good place to be in. Loneliness can be a very painful emotion. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

There is a huge difference between being alone and being lonely. One is a choice, the other is not. If you choose to be alone, even isolated, that is one thing, but if you are alone because you have nobody to be with that is quite another.

I lived through years of loneliness after my husband died and can remember how devastating it was. I used to say to myself, “If only I had someone to call to tell them I have nobody to call!” How sad is that? At the time, I felt that the four walls of my house were caving in on me. Now, fortunately, I only get lonely on the odd occasion and I have made some really good friends to keep me company.

My new book “A Practical Guide to Overcoming Loneliness” is now out on Amazon. It covers all aspects of loneliness and has many anecdotes in it taken from my own life experiences.

It was a labor of love, and I felt a strong connection with all those lonely people out there.