The Wild Flower Journals

Feeling alone or lonely is a natural feeling which most experience at some point throughout life. Read somewhere that 52% of Americans report feeling lonely and 47% reported their relationships with others aren’t meaningful. Why I’m not sure, in fact there’s probably a long list of reasons for which would need its own post.

But just like others I too have experienced such feelings at times. It wasn’t until losing my mother and going through few difficulties these past few years, that the feeling become more pronounced some days. Think many of us just want more meaningful connections.

To know we have someone or maybe even a few that we connect with on deeper levels, who we cannot only be ourselves with but for whom we share an unspoken trust. When we lose such people we share genuine connections with it can be tough to recreate, find or form those type relationships again.

When I’m experiencing one of those alone or lonely moments I find that its nature which helps the most. For instance today as I hiked throughout the woods came across a deer staring at me, then as I walked by the water found a blue heron napping under reeds and as I was finishing up the walk with a stretch looked up to find cardinal singing in tree right above me.

In that moment I realized…sometimes we may feel alone, but in nature, we are never alone. It’s a comforting thought. Nature provides this sense of interconnectedness and belonging. It offers this reminder that we are part of a larger ecosystem and not truly isolated, even when we feel alone.

In nature we get to witness this intricate web of life from the smallest insect to the largest tree. The awe inspiring beauty of nature…such as vibrant forest or sunset creates this sense of wonder and connection to something larger. It can be such a powerful antidote to feelings of loneliness.

While we may not be able to stop feelings of being alone or loneliness exploring ways to find connections can help. And sometimes a walk in nature or time spend amongst wildlife can do just that.