Loneliness doesn’t always mean being alone. Sometimes it means watching life move forward without you, without asking permission.
After breaking my collarbone in September, I spent ten weeks healing while my friends kept playing, competing, and living normally. That part was harder than the injury itself. Just when I thought I was finally past it, I broke it again last week while snowboarding. I was mad, not just because it hurt, but because I had already missed my entire fall baseball and football season, and now I would miss some of spring too.
At first, I didn’t handle it particularly well. I was angry, frustrated, discouraged, and honestly pretty annoyed by the situation. But after sitting with it for a while, I realized this forced stillness didn’t have to be a waste of time.
Instead of focusing only on what I couldn’t do, I started paying attention to what I could. I prayed more. I read more. I learned things I usually don’t slow down enough to notice. I have also been able to shadow my stepfather again for company business in Tahoe, watching how they work, solve problems, and make decisions. Seeing how they carry responsibility has taught me a lot about discipline, business, and preparing for the future, even when things don’t go according to plan.
Loneliness still isn’t fun. I wouldn’t recommend it. But it can become a season of clarity if you let it. A lot of people in the Bible spent long stretches alone, and those quiet seasons ended up shaping who they became.
There is a sentence I have started saying out loud when this season feels heavier than it should:
“I don’t understand this season, but I trust God.”
That hasn’t magically fixed everything, but it has helped, especially during Christmas, when loneliness can feel louder. While this season is supposed to be joyful, it can be tough for people who feel lonely, left out, sidelined, or forgotten.
So this Christmas, I hope you will pray, not just for yourself, but for anyone carrying that quiet weight. Pray that they feel God’s presence and remember they are never actually alone. Loneliness doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Sometimes, it is just the chapter where growth starts to show.
If you want to submit an article to this column, please follow the attached document.
Email [email protected] with any questions.
Future_Voices_Contributor_Guide_2025.
About Future Voices: Future Voices is a Sunday-morning column in The Dallas Express in which young Texans share how faith and perseverance shape their lives. These stories remind readers that God often speaks through the honesty and courage of the next generation.
