<p>As I write this, I am alone. I have been alone for a good while. I wake up alone, eat alone and spend my evenings alone. Not to say I don’t make small chat with neighbours and have meaningful conversations with my co-workers…but I am currently without the company of a companion. I still text my friends and of course, my husband, who is away for a few weeks fulfilling a dream of his. Although I am not emotionally alone, I am physically alone without the company of a companion.</p>
<p>It’s alright though! I’m alone. I’m okay…but it seems as though the <b>world prefers pairs.</b> I’m positive that any person without a companion desires a loving partner to wake up to, eat meals with and enjoy all the pleasures life has to offer. Sometimes we find ourselves alone and without a partner for whatever reason &#8211; break-up, divorce, death, or we just haven’t found that special someone. It’s okay!</p>
<p>My sister has learned how to embrace and overcome being without someone at different points in her life. I’m happy to say that she’s with a fun-loving Australian and is very content having a committed companion. She recently reminded me that while I was without my husband for Thanksgiving this year, last year at that time she was alone. Her advice, although it was given to only our family, was passionately directed at a larger audience, “Why should I stop my life just because I’m alone? If I want to do something, I’m going to do it!” She’s braved many holidays without a companion, gone to different events alone and has travelled all over the world on her own. While the world prefers pairs, my sister <b>didn’t put her life on hold </b>because she wasn&#8217;t &#8216;paired&#8217;. Instead, even with a broken heart that longed for genuine love, she boldly <b>lived life</b>. She’s a fighter in a world ‘paired off’ and sought adventure over being housebound. She sought opportunity and welcomed new friendships, and despite her wounds from past relationships trusted that love would come her way.</p>
<p>&#8220;The Lord is near to the brokenhearted. And saves those who are crushed in spirit.&#8221; Psalm 34:18</p>
<p>I, unlike my sister have only been alone a few times in my life. I have never travelled on my own. I did eat at a sit down restaurant alone. It felt weird but I braved it. When I found myself away from my loved one I wanted to embrace my sister’s determined attitude to do what you want to do even if you’re on your own. So I did! It was a Friday night after a long work week, and I had been invited to a surprise Birthday celebration. The friend that invited me worded the invitation “I know that your husband is on tour but wanted to see if you wanted to come to a little surprise party.” I did! I thought to myself, I have two options: sit at home, do some work and maybe watch a movie, or get dressed up and go to a party. I chose the second option. I purchased a gift, picked out an outfit, put some make-up on and headed over to the party. As I entered the house (alone) I heard these words spoken in a loud voice: “Where’s your husband?” She went on to say that she would never go anywhere on her own. As you can imagine, I&#8217;m standing awkwardly in the doorway at a party with a group of people I &#8216;kinda&#8217; know and feeling like I was ‘no one’ without my husband. A rush of thoughts entered my mind: &#8220;Was it alright that I came on my own? Do I not have as much value unless he’s with me?&#8221; I know my friend had no intention of hurting my feelings, but it really made for an awkward evening where people needed to asked me, &#8220;How are you holding up?”</p>
<p>I&#8217;m alone. I&#8217;m okay.</p>
<p>When I find myself alone I know that I am not truly alone. God is near. He is that needed comfort that settles all the insecurity that comes from being alone. He is a comfort that embraces me with confidence to brave eating alone at a restaurant, going to a party alone and sitting alone in my house. He is a comfort that allows me to let go of the ‘presentable me.’ I wash off my make-up, put on my PJ&#8217;s and throw my hair back in a pony tail and simply let go. He is a comfort that welcomes my words without judgement and truly ‘gets it.’ In a world that prefers pairs I’ve found the finest partner. God is with me always. I am never alone.</p>
<figure id="attachment_1555" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1555" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1555" src="https://thesoulwhispersblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/fullsizerender-1.jpg" alt="FullSizeRender-1" width="640" height="436" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-1555" class="wp-caption-text">&#8220;In fact, God isn&#8217;t far away from us. In God we live, move, and exist.&#8221; Acts 17:27b-28a</figcaption></figure>
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You’re Not Alone
