Step Outside Yourself
Loneliness can happen in the biggest of families.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and that’s the truth, isn’t it? You can be in a large family squeezed into a very small house, and still, you can feel alone. It’s something that Samuel and Miriam struggled with, especially during, you know, that long season of coronavirus last year. They have four children, and two of them, Sammy and Natalia, have autism. Natalia also has Down syndrome, so you can see, parenting these four has its challenges. Mom and dad both work full time; they’ve had to jump through hoops just to arrange being at home to help their kids keep up with remote schooling. Yep, that’s right; even now, still, with COVID challenges. Trying to juggle their own jobs, working at home, dealing with disabilities, helping all the kids with school – it has not been easy.
For almost a year now, Miriam and Samuel have been taking turns going out to get essentials and groceries. They just got to be careful since Natalia and Sammy have so many health problems. And it’s why, late last fall, this family jumped at the chance to attend our Family Retreat at Home. The fun of it all included ice cream socials that we arranged at various churches around New England, and because we were careful about masks and social distancing and clean routines, this weary family was finally able to feel free about getting out of the house for the very first time. True, we had to limit the number of people at each ice cream social, but that was okay with them. They were a family together, and they were going out, no longer alone. During the event, Samuel was near tears and, over ice cream, he shared that it was their first time venturing out of the house as a family in 85 days! And as he looked around, he saw the same emotion in the eyes of other dads.
Yep, this father and yep, mom, too, were struggling with loneliness, going through the routines, all the motions; trading off with each other to the grocery store; staying vigilant about their kids’ health. But at that social, they connected with other special-needs families in the exact same situation. Big families feeling very, very lonely. Everyone marveled what a blessing it was just to gather, even if at a distance, and enjoy a little ice cream, a little cake and a chance to smile and connect with each other. Everyone’s eyes were opened. And everyone realized that their loneliness was now a thing of the past. Because you know what? It inspired this couple to stay connected and keep reaching out to these same families who had also felt trapped inside the house, feeling lonely.
It’s why I love this story. It’s all about looking beyond your own hardships to give the help and hope of Jesus to someone else. And you can do the same, even if – oh, no, no, especially if – you feel you all alone, like no one has it as hard as you do. If you feel that way – friend, step outside yourself. Volunteer at a senior center. Help at a food bank. Sign up for a community class. Look at your own church bulletin board. Join a Bible study or a book club. Plan to volunteer at a camp this coming summer like, well, our Family Retreats at Joni and Friends. Always, we are to look outward to the needs of others. And if you want help doing that, then connect with me today at joniradio.org and ask for my booklet “No Longer Alone.” It’s yours for the asking at joniradio.org. And please remind yourself that as a child of God, you are never alone. Tell that to someone today. And get help doing it at joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends
No Longer Alone
Sorrow, loneliness and grief are a part of the human experience, now more than ever before. In the 14-page pamphlet “No Longer Alone,” Joni Eareckson Tada weaves personal stories with the truth of Scripture. If you are suffering the pain of isolation and long for intimate friendships, be encouraged by Joni’s practical help and hope that will point you to Jesus.
