Loneliness Awareness Week falls from 5 to 11 August, 2024. Ending Loneliness Together, a national network of organisations, wants Australians to share their stories to address social isolation and loneliness. So, here’s my story, where this feeling started.
I first experienced loneliness at 4, when my parents separated. I’ve had a persistent relationship with this feeling ever since.
After Mum left, I stayed with Dad and invented a friend. Her name was Flying Girl. We spent endless hours of fun and imaginary play under the trees.
Sometimes, loneliness would still make me cry. I felt abandoned. This feeling amplified when the house grew quiet and my siblings moved out.
When Dad was mad at me, I wondered if it was my turn to leave home, too. I would crawl into bed, glance up at the ceiling and ask, ‘Why me?’
Eventually, the loneliness diminished. I discovered I didn’t feel as alone when I was busy. My sense of belonging strengthened when taking part in community activities and events, like learning ballet, or as a teenager, book reading to younger children at the local library.
Then, while ruminating and gazing at the stars with my father, this deep sense of awe and fascination, a connectedness with an enigma far greater than myself, brought peace.
When I’m lonely now, and it circles around like Yin and Yang, I still believe that community engagement, such as joining a local club which shares a personal interest, and marvelling at the deep mysteries of the universe brings me comfort.
Do you have a story you would like to share for Loneliness Awareness Week?