Rarely Alone, But Often Lonely

There was a time a few years into our marriage when Nan & I weren’t on the same page spiritually. Lots of stuff was going well for us, but this was a really sticky place. I was pretty happy with the way things were, but Nan wasn’t. At one point she told me she was lonely and didn’t know if our marriage could last if it stayed the way it was.

Although I entered counseling reluctantly, I somehow knew it was necessary and I allowed myself to be talked into going (by her counselor).

It was the best decision I ever made.

Why was Nan lonely? There were parts of her heart that she couldn’t share, because I just couldn’t relate to the depth of her feelings. The spiritual intimacy she wanted with me wasn’t possible – and that left her feeling lonely.

For you it might be different where your loneliness rests. It might be that you feel like you are parenting alone. Or there may be an absence or disconnection in your sexual intimacy. Maybe the conversations you share with your partner are not understood or valued. Maybe you don’t feel heard at all. Whatever it is, it doesn’t feel good.

What may be particularly difficult is that you are around the other person a lot of the time, but it’s not satisfying, maybe even annoying. You know it could be great and that makes you sad. That is why you got married or into a relationship, but this loneliness is not what you expected.

The Solution

If you are already in a permanent committed relationship, you need to talk about it, as uncomfortable as it may be. Be sure to stress the positive before you bring up the stuck place. For us it took a third party because of the nature of the disconnect. It wasn’t that I failed to listen, it was that I needed a paradigm shift that I just couldn’t make on my own.

If you are not yet fully committed, which usually means married, I would strongly advise you to make sure you are in agreement in most areas of life – spiritually, financially, sexually, life direction, health, family etc. If not, this relationship could leave you feeling alone and scared and resentful.

Nan and I both have a pretty high need for alone time, but we are not lonely. We just understand each other and respect the boundaries. We have figured it out because we have talked about it and are willing to discuss it when necessary.

Our pastor says there is nothing worse than being single and wishing you were married – unless it is married and wishing you were single. I get what he means. The truth is that relationships can be wonderful when both of you are on the same path.