Harold Keller / L’Observateur / December 18, 1999

One of the biggest problems in this country, with all of its riches, entertainment, 12-step programs, churches, Bible groups, (you name it, we have it) is loneliness. Yes, loneliness!I saw a poster many years ago in Mrs. Linda Lowry’s office at DestrehanHigh School that showed a man alone in his boat, fishing. It read: “Only aman with courage dare be alone with God.” Evidently, we don’t have manypeople with courage because we are always searching for activities with other people to satisfy our need to be wanted, understood and appreciated.

This time of the year is one of the loneliest times for many people. Manylonely people search for things to do to occupy their time and forget about their loneliness. The barrooms are filled with people who may seem to behaving a good time. Believe me, some of the loneliest people I’ve ever metwere in barrooms – people drinking to get temporary, false courage.

Being with people isn’t a cure for loneliness. You can be the loneliestperson in the world in a big crowd. On the other hand, you can be alone andnot be lonely. This is the time of year people go on shopping sprees and getgifts they can’t afford for some people they may not particularly like, in an effort to fill the void created by being lonely.

Thursday morning, I heard on the radio that on the day after Thanksgiving, Wal-Mart had the biggest day in sales in their history. Sales totaled onebillion dollars. Yes, one billion dollars in a day. According to the radioreport, the total sales for Wal-Mart in 1980 didn’t total one billion dollars.

Consider these statistics taken from Charles Swindoll’s book titled, “The Finishing Touch.”Americans spend $8.5 billion during the Christmas season; $150 millionwill go for wrappings alone, most of which will be immediately discarded; $100 million will be spent on trees; $200 million will be spent on postage; two million telegrams will be send between the 23rd and 25th of December. (These figures are slightly out of date but, if anything, eachcould be increased this year.)With all the parties and the gift-giving and receiving, December is considered the loneliest month of the year. It is reported that more peoplecommit suicide in December than in any other month.

Loneliness is a spiritual cancer. It is not a respecter of persons. Itsvictims include the rich, poor, black, white, young, old, male and female.

The root cause is a desire to fill the vacuum in one’s life. The solution isnot money, and drugs will not ease the pain. The only permanent cure forloneliness is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the onlysolution that promises you will never have to be lonely again. Come tothink of it, to defeat loneliness, you have to decide to be alone – with God.

He will never leave you or forsake you. He’s the answer to all problems.

Harold Keller is a regular columnist for L’Observateur

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