I know how you feel about the church thing....it was true with me...now I rarely go....I need a church that shows me kindness too but it is big city church here in St. Louis and I do not know anyone in them....last time I went when they had time to say peace to each other in the service at least the pastor who I have said hi to and told a bit of me to came all the way to the back where I was to say hello to me...that was week or two ago...I forget if it was last week or before....

I did send a PM to you or perhaps it was a hug....just cause I know it is lonely for you and me both....hugs bill

I can relate to your struggles and especially during the holidays it seems worse. I have family in another state and we are estranged. You are not alone. Sending big hugs :)

I can be your friend if you like, sry i dont have much to say Im not in a very good shape myself.

Lots of very good hearted people are lonely. It has nothing to do with you personally. Just try to understand really good, caring, kind hearted people are ignored a lot more than rude selfish people. That's just human social structure, especially in countries like the USA. People are very spoiled and selfish.

People are not as good as they tend to promote themselves as. There are more hypocrites thàn anything else.

Yes hypocrites are deflating but there are a few gems out there - you just need to find them. Sounds like your doing the right thing by reaching out to a new church. At least that is a step in the right direction and a change you are making for the better. All begins with the first step......

I understand completely! Though I am not technically alone on Christmas, as I have my husband and dogs, we as a couple are alone...I am estranged from my family, not one single invite from any of them, and my husband has very little family - his dad is busy with his stepmom's family and his mom simply doesn't care about celebrating with us and would rather spend the day alone, but doesn't bother to think maybe we don't want to do that. Christmas is an intimate holiday somehow, so no invites from friends either like on Thanksgiving which is less intimate. Each year, I go through this and dread the holidays when everyone around me seems to have big family gatherings and it's the hot topic of conversation. I find it odd, that though Christmas is the time when people should reach out to others even more, and pay attention, people instead retreat into their own world. I think you have a great attitude and this year I took some steps to try to implement change myself. I invited the in-laws over for a Christmas brunch the weekend before, and on the 23rd, I invited some friends over for a Christmas dinner, then, for yesterday we left town and that helped a lot, it was a great distraction. We normally go to Christmas eve service with friends but this year did not go, as their schedules didn't allow it, and Christmas eve was actually a hard day for me. We are already trying to make some plans for next year to be even more pro-active. All of us deserve better, but we do have to do our best to get through it and make the best of it. Maybe one day, I'll be able to create my own Christmas with friends who are in the same situation but until then, it's just one holiday at a time....hang in there