Friendship Recession

Research reveals that since the Covid years many people have only one close friend, or none, and there is a general friendship famine. 

Reasons include Covid-induced isolation, social media 'imprisonments' in false networks, and less opportunity to develop social skills.

This even affects institutions. Safeguarding and data protection checks limit the freedom to get to know people.

But Christ is the Friend of all, and fills us with the spirit of friendship combined with wisdom.

Each of us, whatever our situation, can ask Jesus to help us accept each person as a child of God, avoid, reject or explain to manipulators why we cannot relate to  them on their false basis but that if they change we can be there for them; discern if a person has been put in our path for some deeper reason  - e.g. they cry out from their deep heart's core or they need someone to stand up to their manipulative ways, or because they are in genuine need.  In such a case we might recall the Celtic custom of treating each person at the door as if they are Christ.

Long Voyagers in the Community of Aidan and Hilda (those in life vows) commit to treat fellow Long Voyagers as their spiritual family.  We can do this by learning more about them, praying for them, and communicating with them.

The spirit of friendship flourished among the fourth century desert fathers and mothers in the silence of the deserts through occasional meetings with soul friends.