Do We Need a Department of Loneliness?

It's Monday and I'm doing what most people do on Monday—sifting through emails.

It surprises me how many people work on weekends and send office related articles and requests to me between Friday at 5PM and Monday morning at 7AM.

How I would love to respond to the biggest offenders (those seemingly deprived of social connections on the weekend, who spend time with technology rather than people and unearth the latest breaking news about the Church and world), suggesting they step away from their phones, meet up with a friend, share a common beverage and chat about life's lighter moments.

But perhaps these people didn't have anyone to meet up with?

This morning, one of my workaholic emailers sent me a link to an article from the United Kingdom about the creation of a new Ministry of Loneliness.

What? This has to be a joke, right?

With deep curiosity, I clicked the link and found out that this is true! Prime Minister Theresa May has appointed the first minister in the history of the country (and I think the world) to combat loneliness.

The article stated sobering facts like this one: over 9 million people in the UK always or often feel lonely.  That's nearly 13% of their entire population or 1 out of 8 people who say they sense seclusion. That got me wondering what is the state of loneliness in the U.S.

Apparently, there are a lot of lonely people all over the world.

According to the 19th Surgeon General for the United States, "Loneliness is a growing health epidemic. We live in the most technologically connected age in the history of civilization, yet rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s. Today, over 40% of adults in America report feeling lonely, and research suggests that the real number may well be higher."

It seems like loneliness is not just for the Brits.

Unlike the U.S., Britain's parliament has decided to step in and address the crisis. They are going to invest considerable time and funding to conduct awareness campaigns, collect data, and develop cross government initiatives to combat isolation and sadness.

They look at loneliness as a serious risk to their nation and appear committed to eradicating the reality of sadness within their borders.

How did it get this bad? Why are we so lonely?

Let's be grateful that the U.K. recognizes that isolation harms people physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. It is good to know that they want to do something, because human persons just don't do well when they are alone. My bottom line question is what happened in Britain that plunged this country into widespread despair?

Two possible reasons may have caused this issue.

1. The traditional family in the U.K. has been devalued; and

2. British society has become more secular than religious.

A quick review of their national statistics revealed that a family is no longer defined as a married couple living together with their children. The term family now includes configurations based on cohabitation or single parent with more than one child. And, when you look for stats on faith affiliations in the UK you find that sixty percent of adults do not believe in God, and one-third have no religious affiliation.

Sadly, a review of U.S. national statistics shows a similar pattern; traditional family household are decreasing and the number of persons claiming no faith or no affiliation with a religious congregation is quickly rising. If these trends continue, we may see a department against loneliness in our National Institute of Health...

What can we do to combat this loneliness epidemic?

Or, we can begin to respond within our own ministries by helping married couples, kids, youth, young adults and every lay faithful entering our churches to forge developmental relationships first with their traditional family (with their mom and dad, grandparents, cousins, nieces and nephews) and then with their community of friends.

How can we do that?

Connect each person we serve to a community of persons that serves life.  This may require that we ease up on the programming pedal so that we can spend time listening and being with each other.

Extend heartfelt hospitality. For most of us that means we have to build more margin into our schedules for the purpose of reducing our own stress so that we can enjoy checking in with others.

Pay attention to those we encounter and offer—at the very least—a connection with our eyes and the exchange of a smile.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to call the person that informed me in an email about the developments in the U.K. and ask her to have a cup of coffee tomorrow.