I read a newspaper article a few weeks ago that really made an impression on me. The headline reads, “Man found three years after his death; a lesson in loneliness,” and the article shares the story of Ronald Wayne White, a diabetic Navy vet who died “unnoticed and all but forgotten.” His rent was automatically deducted from his bank account once a month. His car was parked, untouched, in the garage.
The article reads:
“It’s disheartening that society has reached such a threshold of disconnection that (Ronald) could have no friend, no coworker, no acquaintance to even check to see if he was alive or dead…
This case reminds us that there are thousands of people among us who are in severe states of loneliness and isolation…The reality is that loneliness profoundly grips many of us…
White’s case drives home the importance of making real life connections. There should be people in our lives who can and will reach out to at least check on our well-being or at least notice when something might seem odd.
We’re more connected through social media than ever before. Experts point out that we’re processing so much information…that we’re losing our ability to think and feel. It’s hurting our personal connections and making us more distant and lonely. And the loneliness can negatively affect our health…
Let’s vow to actually pick up the phone to talk to or actually go visit someone we know instead of spending so much time on social media. Let’s make eye contact and be mindful of other people. Let’s do things with other people, be it attending religious services or going to a ball game. We need to take better care of ourselves and our neighbors.”
Friends: Let’s be loneliness fighters. No one deserves to live, or die, or feel alone.
No comments:
Post a Comment