Reflecting on imprisonment

[puzzledtoo]

I hold the view that those that are living alone, some unable to leave the house without aid whether through physical or mental disease reasons are included in the ranks of the imprisoned. Even those that still get out a bit but don’t have much social interaction could be considered to be in a prison of their own making. In my view visiting the imprisoned entails much more than going to see, writing to, or praying for someone in a penitentiary. We can write, call, physically visit, pray for those that are elderly, homebound for any reason at all. Blessings.

 

[Irishmom2]

Very true. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[Convert_in_99]

Yep! And they come in all ages. I’m 34 and have been mostly home bound for the past two years due to medical problems.

Thank you for posting this!

 

[MaryT777]

What a wonderful thought on expanding our thoughts of imprisonment, and writing and calling those in the situations you mentioned.

Blessings to you as well.

Mary.

 

[Rosebud77]

I hold the view that those that are living alone, some unable to leave the house without aid whether through physical or mental disease reasons are included in the ranks of the imprisoned. Even those that still get out a bit but don’t have much social interaction could be considered to be in a prison of their own making. In my view visiting the imprisoned entails much more than going to see, writing to, or praying for someone in a penitentiary. We can write, call, physically visit, pray for those that are elderly, homebound for any reason at all. Blessings.

Here in my solitary eyrie and very happily so, wondering why folk see solitude as a prison?

Yes I am mostly housebound through chronic illness and age, but I love it and find huge blessings in it and would live no other way.

A prison of our own making? ah no! Not a prison at all but a refuge, a safe place of peace and quietude. A chosen place when we adapt to the reality.

I meet the world at its point of need and mine. Today I am out trading at a craft fair, to fund the work my family do with abandoned babies. It will be noisy and crowded and I will meet many I know.

But I will be very glad when the weekend is over and i can be alone again. VERY glad!

Sometimes, do we not see the lives of others from our own viewpoint? I would hate what you are living! Busy, out there, families etc and you would hate what I and many live,

In the past I have thought as you do and dropped in on folk I thought “needed” company to realise it was an imposition… as it would be if someone visited here,

The old man my next neighbour, a mile away, feels the same and has a big NO ENTRY sign on his gate! A lovely man he is, gentle and courteous but private and busy with his sheep etc

Solitude is rich.

SO thank you for your thoughts and prayers but please worry not.

 

[Irishmom2]

Here in my solitary eyrie and very happily so, wondering why folk see solitude as a prison?

Yes I am mostly housebound through chronic illness and age, but I love it and find huge blessings in it and would live no other way.

A prison of our own making? ah no! Not a prison at all but a refuge, a safe place of peace and quietude. A chosen place when we adapt to the reality.

I meet the world at its point of need and mine. Today I am out trading at a craft fair, to fund the work my family do with abandoned babies. It will be noisy and crowded and I will meet many I know.

But I will be very glad when the weekend is over and i can be alone again. VERY glad!

Sometimes, do we not see the lives of others from our own viewpoint? I would hate what you are living! Busy, out there, families etc and you would hate what I and many live,

In the past I have thought as you do and dropped in on folk I thought “needed” company to realise it was an imposition… as it would be if someone visited here,

The old man my next neighbour, a mile away, feels the same and has a big NO ENTRY sign on his gate! A lovely man he is, gentle and courteous but private and busy with his sheep etc

Solitude is rich.

SO thank you for your thoughts and prayers but please worry not.

Good for you that you love to be alone. We know that because you repeatedly tell everyone, despite being on CAF all the time and driving all over Ireland, your adopted home, that you love being alone.

However, your case is not everyone else’s. And your case is not what this thread is about.

It is about people reaching out to those people in the world that **are **imprisoned. There are many people that would love someone to write, or call, or stop by for a moment and see how they are, but no one does. **That ** is who the OP was reminding us about.

 

[pianistclare]

Yes, thank you for posting, OP. Truly solitary people don’t want to talk about themselves. Those who are alone, but not by choice, want people to understand them, need affirmation. It’s a beautiful work of mercy to visit them and show them compassion. Listen to their stories, and spend time. Some are alone through their own making, whether it be by their illness, which makes others uneasy, or through their odd personalities which also are off-putting. But we are called to compassionate. Even the prickliest person needs a friend or confidant.
Often, once we begin to peel away the facade, we discover how they developed this problem, and can work to make their lives at least more tolerable and more peaceful.
Those who persist in shutting others out, and are adamant about it, have a bigger problem.
That, cannot be fixed by anyone. They have made their choice.
Christ came into the world so that we may thrive and have eternal life. Indeed, He went to pray in solitude. But for the most part, He was a servant to others. And He never crowed about it. He just quietly did His holy work.
We need to all remember that we are not doing people favors, we are being the hands and feet of Christ, and take His lead. The work with the lonely and disenfranchised, edifies us.
Thank you again, OP, for this timely reminder.

 

[Della]

I don’t think we can lump everyone who lives alone into a single definition, especially not one that makes a person feel like they’ve imprisoned themselves, poor things, and therefore need others to drag them out of it. Better to visit a nursing home or find out from one’s parish who would like to be visited or ask friends and family for names of those who would like this ministry, than to assume that everyone who is one their own needs others even if they don’t want them to call.

I’m not truly alone–I have my husband, but he is gone most of the day and so I am alone most of the time. Even when he was gone on business trips I never felt bereft of love because I was alone. I’m an introvert–being with others can be painful for me. It’s just who I am. If I want to be with people I can do that. However, I like being alone most of the time. I know that is hard for non-introverts to understand, but it’s how we introverts are–we don’t need to be rescued, thank you just the same.

 

[pianistclare]

I don’t think we can lump everyone who lives alone into a single definition, especially not one that makes a person feel like they’ve imprisoned themselves, poor things, and therefore need others to drag them out of it. Better to visit a nursing home or find out from one’s parish who would like to be visited or ask friends and family for names of those who would like this ministry, than to assume that everyone who is one their own needs others even if they don’t want them to call.

I’m not truly alone–I have my husband, but he is gone most of the day and so I am alone most of the time. Even when he was gone on business trips I never felt bereft of love because I was alone. I’m an introvert–being with others can be painful for me. It’s just who I am. If I want to be with people I can do that. However, I like being alone most of the time. I know that is hard for non-introverts to understand, but it’s how we introverts are–we don’t need to be rescued, thank you just the same.

I thought we were talking about nursing homes.
The OP is not the one who brought up solitary hermits.

 

[Della]

I thought we were talking about nursing homes.
The OP is not the one who brought up solitary hermits.

No, I’m afraid not. She did mention homebound, though. :tiphat:

From the way she generalized one could get the impression that everyone who lives on his own is bereft of human contact and therefore in need of being rescued in some way. That’s not always the case, even for the elderly. Not everyone craves human interaction no matter his age.

 

[pianistclare]

No, I’m afraid not. She did mention homebound, though. :tiphat:

From the way she generalized one could get the impression that everyone who lives on his own is bereft of human contact and therefore in need of being rescued in some way. That’s not always the case, even for the elderly. Not everyone craves human interaction no matter his age.

Depends on it you’re into solitude for a holy purpose (like monks) or if your’e just odd, LOL



Love you, Della!

 

[Della]

Depends on it you’re into solitude for a holy purpose (like monks) or if your’e just odd, LOL



Love you, Della!

Well actually, I may be a bit odd. Although I do try to put my time to good use.

Love you, too, PC.

 

[pianistclare]

Well actually, I may be a bit odd. Although I do try to put my time to good use.

Love you, too, PC.

 

[puzzledtoo]

Thank you all for your (name removed by moderator)ut whether you agree or not with my original post. Debate is good. Yes I generalized and did so intentionally to allow myself as well as others to think outside the box so to speak. Prisons can be many things to many different persons. The intention was not to imply that everyone that lives alone is in need of being rescued, but it has been my experience that many folks will contract into themselves and become bitter if not depressed when feeling unloved. I suppose that is the key-feeling unloved-not necessarily alone. We can feel lonely, unloved even in the midst of the presence of others. This may be our own doing by pushing others away or because they are unconscious of our needs. I too consider myself an introvert-I wish to left alone mostly, love quiet, etc… this is what my mind wants or so I tell myself. What I need as a physical human being are smiles, touch, interaction of some sort.
I know a woman whose husband has Alzheimer’s disease. He is pretty far along as far as I know, but she refuses to have professional help-it is all up to her. She will ask her daughter or son-in-law to “husband sit” once in a while so she can go to her garden club meeting. That is it. If one were to ask her if she felt like a prisoner she most certainly would be offended and tell you “absolutely not”. I’ve been around her and her husband enough to know that she does feel imprisoned. She brings him around from store to store daily just so he doesn’t get restless at home. Or maybe so she can have some conversation other than telling him something for the 15th time. She snaps at him for something that seems trivial to me but then again I don’t know many times she has said the same thing before she gets angry.
My point is prisons come in many forms and fashions. Many self imposed. There is a saying that I remember reading somewhere. Something to the effect that we are all fighting a battle (our mountains, demons, prisons) of some sort so be kind to everyone. Something like that. Wow. Wrote way more than I had planned-sorry about that. Blessings.

 

[pianistclare]

Thank you all for your (name removed by moderator)ut whether you agree or not with my original post. Debate is good. Yes I generalized and did so intentionally to allow myself as well as others to think outside the box so to speak. Prisons can be many things to many different persons. The intention was not to imply that everyone that lives alone is in need of being rescued, but it has been my experience that many folks will contract into themselves and become bitter if not depressed when feeling unloved. I suppose that is the key-feeling unloved-not necessarily alone. We can feel lonely, unloved even in the midst of the presence of others. This may be our own doing by pushing others away or because they are unconscious of our needs. I too consider myself an introvert-I wish to left alone mostly, love quiet, etc… this is what my mind wants or so I tell myself. What I need as a physical human being are smiles, touch, interaction of some sort.
I know a woman whose husband has Alzheimer’s disease. He is pretty far along as far as I know, but she refuses to have professional help-it is all up to her. She will ask her daughter or son-in-law to “husband sit” once in a while so she can go to her garden club meeting. That is it. If one were to ask her if she felt like a prisoner she most certainly would be offended and tell you “absolutely not”. I’ve been around her and her husband enough to know that she does feel imprisoned. She brings him around from store to store daily just so he doesn’t get restless at home. Or maybe so she can have some conversation other than telling him something for the 15th time. She snaps at him for something that seems trivial to me but then again I don’t know many times she has said the same thing before she gets angry.
My point is prisons come in many forms and fashions. Many self imposed. There is a saying that I remember reading somewhere. Something to the effect that we are all fighting a battle (our mountains, demons, prisons) of some sort so be kind to everyone. Something like that. Wow. Wrote way more than I had planned-sorry about that. Blessings.

That saying is in the signature line of a CAF member.
*
“Be kinder than necessary…everyone is fighting some sort of battle”

 

[puzzledtoo]

I believe that is where I read that. From the signature line here on caf. Thank you.