When Loneliness Visits
For the person who feels loneliness today:
original handprinted photo by B. Littleton
"It makes sense that you feel lonely right now. When life has been heavy, when we’ve had to hide parts of ourselves just to get through, it can feel like we’re carrying everything alone . . . and like the dreams, the joy, or even the real ‘you’ have gone quiet.
But that loneliness doesn’t mean you’re broken. It’s actually your heart’s way of saying, ‘It’s time to come back to me.’ You may not feel ready, and maybe you’ve never trusted yourself to handle what’s inside, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start now, in small ways.
Your courage is still there, even if it feels buried. Your ability for joy is still there. Even the dreams you tucked away, they haven’t disappeared. They’ve just been waiting, quietly, for you to remember them.
Jung believed that loneliness, especially the deep kind, can be a turning point. A quiet invitation to grow beyond old survival patterns that may have kept you safe, but also kept you disconnected. It’s not about fixing yourself. It’s about listening inward, gently wondering, ‘What part of me is still alive under all this? What dream have I been too scared to believe in? What would it feel like to trust myself . . . even a little?’
Even if you’ve never dared before, it’s okay to begin now. Trust isn’t something you earn; it’s something you practice, one small step at a time. You haven’t lost your capacity for joy, courage, or meaning. They’ve been quiet, yes, but they’re still here, waiting for you to come home to them."
written by Bren Littleton
original handprinted photo by B. Littleton
Tin Flea Press, c. 2025