On reconnecting

Dear friend,
These days
many of us have lost
our connection with others.

Some of us
have isolated ourselves

because we are so discouraged
by our political situation.

Some of us
simply work all day
on our computers

and forget
other humans exist.

We hardly
go anywhere
except to get food.

No parties
no church
no neighborhood gatherings.

No social events
at all.

Maybe we stopped connecting
during the pandemic.

Or maybe
we were never connected
to begin with.

Why?

Why do
so many of us
live isolated lives?

We can all
rhyme off
our reasons.

Most are
royal excuses

based on lies
from the destructive part
of our mind:

“You can’t do anything
because you don’t have a partner.”

“Even if you have one
people only want to talk
with them, not you!”

“No one wants
to connect with you

because you are
an ugly stupid loser

with nothing
to say.”

So you shut up
and stay home.

Your reasons
may differ from these.

But whatever they are
you have surely noticed

that life
gets lonely

when nothing
is going on

between us
and other humans.

Feeling lonely

Feeling lonely
is extremely painful.

It’s like being stranded
on an island

and nobody
even comes looking
to find you.

Hell, they don’t even know
you are lost.

You play
the self sufficient act
so well.

When you finally
send out
your message in a bottle

nobody reads it.

You may be surrounded
by people

and you still
feel invisible
and lonely.

Especially if
they are all paired up.

A Lonely Cry

When I think of loneliness
I think of the Beatles song
Eleanor Rigby.

Played it again
just now.

Eleanor Rigby
Picks up the rice
in the church
where a wedding has been

Lives in a dream

Father McKenzie
Writing the words
of a sermon
that no one will hear

No one comes near

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

That song
is like a cry
to the universe.

A whole lot
of us sang along
with this song

and still do.

How it feels to be on your own

Every one of us
has been there.

We know how it feels
to be a rolling stone.

Where do we all belong?
we ask.

I was very lonely
when I left home at 16.

I had no connection
with anyone.

And no idea
what to do about it.

Over the years
I’ve spent
a lot of time alone.

Being alone
can be sad.

But I have come
to realize

that being alone
is not the same thing
as being lonely.

I don’t feel lonely now
even when
I’m alone.

Why not

Well, I stay
continually connected

by writing
to wonderful and beautiful
people.

And I continually
tuck into

spiritual, psychological,
political, musical and literary works

through which
I receive bountiful sustenance.

Thus my engine
is running on full
not empty.

All the goodness
I receive and absorb

gives me the fuel
to create and generate

new insight
new love
new vitality

to give to others
through writing
my letters.

Thus I am connected
with you my friend
even when I am alone.

Our loneliness comes from our emptiness

Our loneliness
comes mostly

when we are empty and
have nothing to give.

In that condition
it is impossible

to have a healthy connection
with others.

No person
can fill our emptiness for us.

If we are looking for someone
to fill that void

all we will find
is another empty person

seeking to do
the same thing.

Two half people
hoping to find
their better half :)

Three ways of looking at a hand

Let’s take a look
at the hand
in the photo above.

Imagine
it is your hand.

Look down
at your hand

and turn it
palm side up
as in the photo.

What do you see?

Here are
three different ways
of seeing your hand.

1. The first way

   of seeing your hand is:
   

   Your hand is empty.

   
   There is nothing

   coming into it.

   
   And there is nothing

   going out from it.
   
   You don’t have

   a connection with others.

   No bridge to anyone.

   You are lonely.
   

2. The second way

   of seeing your hand is:

   Your hand is receiving.

   
   It is open

   to the treasures of life.

   
   You are reaching out

   to receive

   beautiful and vital sustenance.
   
   Your hand is full

   not empty.

   
   You are connected to others

   by a bridge coming in.

   
   You are not lonely

   whether you have a partner

   or not.
   

3. The third way of seeing your hand is:

   You hand is full

   and you are reaching out

   to give goodness.

   
   You have received

   so many blessings

   your hand is overflowing.

   
   You are reaching out

   to share them.
   
   You are

   not only full

   you are channeled.

   
   You are fully connected

   with others

   by a bridge

   going both ways.

   
   Your hand

   has gone way beyond

   being a lonely hand.

   Now it is

   the hand of a builder.
   

Your path forward

Maybe at this point
your hand
is still the first one.

The lonely one.

It may have been that way
a long time.

But there is no law
that says

it has to stay that way.

Unless you take orders
from the sadistic side
of your mind

you are free
to open up your hand

no matter how
how many years
it has been empty.

You can open it up
today
and start receiving.

You already are.

Your are receiving me
and my words
right now.

And you thought
you were alone.
Ha!

So unless you summon
your resistance real fast
and unsubscribe

soon you will be
allowing yourself

to receive
more from me
than before

and from many other sources
as well.

Beautiful music, writing,
art, sermons—

all the rich discoveries
your heart desires.

Let the world
build a bridge to you!

This bridge will be
your connection.

You won’t have
a lonely hand
any more.

From full to overflowing

And once you are full
you will

over time

go from full
to overflowing.

That is when
you will start building

a beautiful two way bridge

so that you can
give the best of your soul
to the world.

Why will you do that?

Because you are a person
who cares about life
and freedom.

A person who wants
to make a contribution

to the well being
of yourself and others.

That is why
you read my letters.

And that is why
I write them to you.

Becoming a builder

Becoming a builder
is the best way I know
to not be lonely.

When you are a builder
you connect
with constructive people.

And they connect with you.

You may not yet
have a partner of your own

but because builders
attract other builders

it won’t be long
until you do.

It all starts with
opening up

your hand
your heart
your soul

to receive
the goodness of life.

Once you are
full to overflowing
with goodness

and giving it
to others

people will want
to be near you

and connect with you.

You will have to
hide away sometimes

just to get
some privacy.

Blessings,

Dr. Hall