One can imagine the utter despair behind those words, “Sir, I have no man.” How well he knew the pain of loneliness — a pain expressed so well by the Ancient Mariner: “Alone, alone, all, all, alone; alone on a wide, wide sea.”

A famous doctor was asked to name the most devastating disease. His reply was, “Loneliness. Just plain loneliness.” Another doctor called it, “The most devastating malady of our age.”

Loneliness drives people to do desperate things. Studies have shown that it is one of the major causes of suicide. Alcoholics Anonymous tells us that loneliness is one of the great causes of alcoholism.

CLICK HERE to continue reading this post.

Note: This was used in a Sunday School Lesson at St Barbara & St Noufers Coptic Orthodox Church year 10-12 on 25/04/2010