Have you ever felt abandoned? Surrounded by hundreds, maybe thousands, of people who just, for a little while, ignore you, and almost completely freeze, as if in slow motion. You look around and everyone has someone. A roommate, a significant other, a friend, a group, or an RA, etc, with them, right? And it doesn't have to be 15,000, it can be 50, or 14, or 5. You get the point.
I've been there. With the 15,000, with the 5, and with the 14. it's as if, for a while, I'm just there and not important.
It's weird because if you mention it, people will just say you are "clingy," or maybe even "desperate for attention." But, like, what if you are? Is that always a bad thing? Is it ever a bad thing? Is it possible for "being desperate for attention" to be a healthy, normal part of life? I think it is.
Something that God created people for is relationships, with both Him and other people. I think it's natural to want attention and love from other people, and sometimes that "attention tank" (as I call it) is bone dry. That's where this "loneliness in a room of 15,000" feeling comes from.
If you're like me, you give and give and give of yourself emotionally to people you have relationships with (that's a topic for another article). So, you expect at least a few people to return that giving of themselves, right? Of course you do!
I realize that not everyone feels this way, because obviously if they did, this article wouldn't be happening. But like, why don't they try?
If you're one of these people who doesn't feel the "loneliness in a room of 15,000" feeling, why don't you notice the person who is surrounded by 14,999 other people and is feeling alone, and go give them a high-five or something, just to let them know you see them?
I challenge you to do it. You know who some of these people are, in fact you've been thinking about them since you started reading this. Text them real quick and tell them how much you care about yall's relationship, I'll wait.
Still: to the person who doesn't understand the "loneliness in a room of 15,000" feeling, then next time someone mentions how they feel excluded, lonely, alone, or bored when surrounded by people, etc, don't dismiss them and make fun; this person is most likely feeling this. That seemingly "harmless" attitude can make things 10x worse in their mind. I know you don't mean to hurt them, but you need to see that not everyone operates the same way.
there are some people who get really offended and upset by "Chill out, you have plenty of friends," even if it is true. Just saying.
Now back to the ones feeling lonely. You're not broken. You're not invisible. You're a rockstar and if people don't realize it, that's their loss. God created you and He said that it is good.
The next time you feel alone in that packed room, if you can't find someone who's trying to high-five you, just high-five Jesus. He is always there for you. Getting your focus on Him is the first step to never feeling truly lonely.
He's got His hand out waiting for you to high-five it
Don't leave the Lamb of God hanging.
