Has anyone felt isolated lately? Of course, we have! After all quarantine is a synonym for isolation. Hospitals have isolation wards that keep infected people from spreading illness. In some situations, like a pandemic, isolation is necessary.
Health professionals have told us isolation has been necessary to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Yet, It isn’t easy for any of us. There has been several recent articles on how isolation is affecting us.
- Even introverts struggle with the isolation of pandemic
- Pandemic isolation takes its toll
- The pandemic of loneliness
I liked today’s quote by Mark Batterson because of its humorous approach. It also reminds me isolation can become dangerous because it can cause us to do some crazy things.
- We may start believing the negative self-talk that comes from our thoughts.
- We may find unhealthy ways to numb the loneliness
- When we finally get with people, we may come off as desperate, or a little neurotic (especially if you introduce you volleyball as your new friend)
- It opens us up to scammers and others that take advantage of the lonely and isolated.
Batterson’s book is about how to listen to the voice of God. He reminded me that one way to hear His voice is to be in a community of believers. We all need friends and mentors to keep us from going off the rails. Isolation and a lack of humility can be a great disadvantage when you need someone to talk through an idea.
We are all social creatures. Even introverts need time with others. We may not be able to meet face-to-face. Technology may not be your strong suit. But I encourage you to find ways to reach out to friends even when it may take extra effort. We all need others to keep us from getting very lonely, and a little neurotic.
