Do I need friends?

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FaithHopeCharity

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So I am at the moment 16 years of age and I have recently transferred from my local public school to a Catholic School.

School had just started recently and I thought I would feel so happy with this opportunity the Lord, with the support if my parents, has bestowed upon me. But instead I felt lonely, and unnoticed.

I was once a sinful teenager always trying to impress the so called “popular kids” so I could be one if them. But the Lord saved me through someone I met. But I had lost them (not as in death, its complicated). This led me to pray that I would see them again but instead, I received something more then just seeing this person once more. I received the mercy and glory of our Lord. It took me a while to get off sins that had become an addiction but I did it after about a year. During the beggining of my life of prayer and rejoice, I was still in my old school. And as I tried less and less to fit in, I faded away and I went untoticed in the halls.

This summer has been an adventure as I get some alone time to ponder the works of our Lord and his intentions for me. But going back to school thats Catholic, especially a new school after a long break, has been less than what I expected.

Now the feeling if lonliness is back once again, I hate this feeling and I want it gone. Not because I don’t want friends, but because having friends would mean I would have to give up much of my life I had devoted to theology and philosophy of religion and prayer. But me being born an extreme extrovert has egnited a flame in me that just feels like I need someone that understands me in the physical world. I know I only need God but this feeling persists and I don’t know what to do. I mean at least if I did have friends they would be Catholic. But I just dont know. I would ask our Lord or our mother Mary but I just dont know what God wants me to do:(

St. Faustina pray for us. God bless you all and I will pray for you all!!
 
Friends are important, especially if you’re extroverted. We are social creatures made for community.
FaithHopeCharity said:
having friends would mean I would have to give up much of my life I had devoted to theology and philosophy of religion and prayer.
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I wouldn’t think of friendship as giving up something. Friends can help you in your devotion to God. So don’t avoid having friends.

That said, lonliness is a part of life. When you encounter it, remember Jesus in the garden.
 
Op, I am sorry you feel lonely. It is not a nice feeling. You just need to make some friends. If you are an extrovert, you should have no problem speaking to people. Just talk to people, all people, with no judgements. Then, when you find someone that you would like to be friends with, just be a friend to them. Don’t wait for people to come to you. Join a group, a prayer group, a service club. Anything that puts you with other people.

Not sure why you would need to give up your interests in theology. You don’t need to be discussing or talking about them 24/7. Nor do you need to do immoral things to gain friends. It’s not all or nothing.
 
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Thank You for the response! And yes I find it relatively easy to spark conversion but I think im just nervous I’ll be treated the same way in my previous school, like a reject. And I’m just afraid if that feeling does come back, it may harm my relationship with our Lord. And I just figured since I havnt had many good friends at all in my past that from what I see is that people people have no time for anything but friends. I could be wrong, but I’m just scared I guess. God bless you and you will be in my prayers!
 
A new school year in a new school is a great new start. Be at peace and don’t look back, you aren’t going that way anymore! 🙂
 
Thanks for the reply!! I guess your right, but I’m just scared that having friends may mess up what the Lord and I have built together. And I’m also scared that I may be treated tye same way as in my old school. Gid bless and you will be in my prayers!
 
Oh I hope so. Our Lord means so much to me and if this is the path he wants me to take so be it. I just hope that this won’t end up in an unexpected or unwanted way. Anyway, God bless you and I will pray for you!!! 🙂
 
First of all, welcome home (: Second of all, geez I know how you feel. High school was tricky for me and college has just been more extreme, and it’s a hard road to walk. You want to be around people, to share your joy with people and be joyful that others are happy (that’s at least how my extroverted side works), but there comes a line where you can’t take joy or even happiness from the decisions they make, annnd you’re stuck. What some of the other posters have mentioned, and I agree with, is that yes, humans are social and we do need friends. The problem is, sometimes those friends are not present (as they weren’t in most of my life). So, it’s really really great that you shored yourself up with Christ and your passions, that’s very good, but you’re not wrong to want friends.

What I personally recommend (and I won’t be hurt if you disagree, it’s just words of experience that maybe could help), is to use your extroverted nature to branch out into more hobbies. Try a little of everything! Christ is your identity, but He also provided a lot more for us to enrich who we are on earth, our personalities and skills and so forth. Some friends may agree with you and how you live/want to live, theologically, and some may not, and that is okay so long as they don’t have some sort of a hold over you that makes you walk away from what is right. It’s okay to have Hang Out Friends or Shopping Friends or Sports Friends, especially as you seek a closer circle who, as you said, would probably be Catholic and know and care for you deeper. It’s all a process, and be not afraid 🙂 And be especially not afraid of being a little flashy and weird, because that goes a long way these days; saints stand out, even in humble ways, I’ve noticed! Faito (:

~Hawk
P.S. I’m not on here often enough, but feel free to reach out if you’d like as I try to become frequent again
 
You have a new opportunity so embrace it. Join the ministry or choir. You are allowed to have fun.
My youngest just started Catholic high school. She wants to be a saint. She joined the above as well as special Olympics tennis and dance. Friends are important to her
 
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