In
the spiritual life we have to make a distinction between two kinds of
loneliness. In the first loneliness, we are out of touch with God and
experience ourselves as anxiously looking for someone or something that
can give us a sense of belonging, intimacy, and home. The second
loneliness comes from an intimacy with God that is deeper and greater
than our feelings and thoughts can capture.
We might think of these two kinds of loneliness as two forms of
blindness. The first blindness comes from the absence of light, the
second from too much light. The first loneliness we must try to outgrow
with faith and hope. The second we must be willing to embrace in love.
Henri Nouwen
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