[H]

Hi Katherine,

I know loneliness well from various points in my life and with being a single parent. It really hurts and it sounds like you’ve experienced the rejection of losing who were friends that sided with your ex. It’s very painful when you think they care about you separately only to realise that they were originally friends of your ex so have chosen to split from you. I experienced this with the friends I thought I had who were originally my exes. It hurts but there are positives to see from the situation ( in my humble opinion ). Being free from a difficult relationship is such a relief. It’s better to know where friends loyalties lie sooner rather than later. Being able to be comfortable with loneliness shows massive strength especially in mentally difficult times. I sometimes feel like I have Samaritans on speed dial. ;-). It motivated me out of my comfort zones to try new things. I am free to make my own choices without considering others if need be but the truth is, I’d rather have someone to share my life with. Loneliness definitely builds patience!!! You’ll no doubt find strategies of dealing with your situation that work best for you. My coping list is a work in progress. I think connection is the key but that’s the last thing I want to do on teary days when I feel folks won’t understand and will reject me. I’m glad you posted and hope that the comments have helped you feel less alone. If there were local groups it’d be so much easier for us instead of posting on a site…. 🙂

H 🙂