singing the same lines all over again...

An addendum to what I said on loneliness last night, Daniel. I realized today driving to church that loneliness in the midst of crowds is completely not new to me. God bright to mind sophmore year right around now when I struggled with loneliness.. and then went to aacf's winter retreat to lead a small group. We talked about loneliness there. And the loneliness I had felt became a blessing, because I could relate to those in my small group-- all of them feeling very much alone & unsupported, far more than I had known. And we were able to share.. and God brought to me a new understanding of how all suffering we feel, (when we stop being all self-absorbed about it) is a way of us being able to share in the common pain of mankind.

When we are happy & free and things are great, it's much harder for us to be compassionate and feel the cries of those around us. But when we are hurting too, we are distinctly more alert to those around us in the plights much more grusome than our own. I guess today has just been a "same lesson, but deeper" moment.