We have become so disconnected from each other these days.
Humans are a social species. We were meant to be together!
We were not meant to be afraid of each other!
Have you ever had a roommate?
A few years ago I rented a room from a room and board where I would have a roommate.
The last time I had shared a room with anyone was 30 years before when I shared a room with my sister.
But that was another world, the secret world I shared so many years ago with my sister, my partner in discovering the wonderful secrets of this world, another time, another place....
I have a condition on the Autism spectrum. It makes me shy and nervous around people.
I thought that it would be strange to be sharing a room with someone. But I took a chance. I was not about to turn down a good home.
But when I moved into that room, it was not strange! It was the most natural thing in the world!
Since then I have had more than one bad roommate. People dealing with their own personal demons. And yet it was not that bad. And it was still the most natural thing in the world!
Humans are a social species!
We are meant to share our lives with others!
We were not meant to be alone!
Are you a loner, like me? An introverted person who does not like crowds? I bet you love spending time with a few good friends! Just a few, not a crowd! Just like me!
There is nothing wrong with having some time alone with your thoughts and God! But we are meant to share our lives with others!
I found out that having a roommate- one that I had never met before, even a bad one battling inner demons- was the most natural thing in the world!
Since then I learned that before the Industrial 19th Century, when we were all determined to live like aristocrats, it was normal for people to not only share a room but a bed!
'There were ten in a bed and the little one said, "Roll over! Roll over!"'
Remember that little song?
It was left over from when housemates shared beds! With their brothers and sisters! I have read on the Internet of people who say that their children prefer to fall asleep this way!
Humans are a social species! We are not meant to separate ourselves from other people!
I'm sure that it would be just like when I had a roommate for the first time in my adult life- you would be nervous, but when the time came to share the bed with the other person, even a stranger, it would be the most natural thing in the world!
Humans are a social species! We were not meant to separate ourselves from other people!
So go ahead, reach out to your neighbors! Say 'Hi' to strangers! Visit someone else's church or synagogue or mosque!
Reach out!
If you do not like crowds, enjoy being with a few new friends!
For humans are a social species! We are not meant to separate ourselves from other people! We are stronger and saner and much happier together!
Even if one of you is battling some serious inner demons!
You might just find new brothers and sisters! From whole other countries even!
And it can be the most wonderful thing in the world for people to share their problems!
Don't be afraid to reach out- even if the other people are battling serious inner demons, it won't be that bad to reach out to them!
Don't let yourself get caught in a toxic relationship- but don't, don't ever let that scare you away from reaching out to people!
We are not fragile when we are together! We have nothing to fear! Just ignore them, move on and reach out to the next person down the line!
It's okay to want personal space- I had plenty of personal space with a roommate! That shouldn't stop us from reaching out! We're an intelligent species! We can figure it out!
And when you reach out, you will find a most wonderful thing- family! New family! New friends! New brothers and sisters!
For we can all be family!
And yes, Facebook counts! Absolutely! But in person is so, so much better! And there are people in person to reach out to, in the house or apartment right next door!
God loves you! And so will all your new friends if you only reach out!
God loves you!
Sincerely,
David S. Annderson