Shallow or Deep?

We live in a world full of “shallow relationships.”

People hide. A lot of it, high-speed modern day life as well as internal forces can drive us to live in isolation and loneliness.

You need not be geographically or physically alone to experience the shallowness. Even in the midst of people, you can feel so lonely.

If you ask Rick, his being part of a church men’s group for over 4 years confronts us with one indictment: the lack of depth in the “community” he joined in.

The group leader focused on intellectual talks each week. During holidays, they took breaks and never celebrated together. Much less, visited and known each other’s homes and families.

In session, Rick lamented about the shallowness in his “community.” The larger world of deep personal relationships took second place there for years.

They had the appearance of fellowship, but were actually missing each other’s “person.”

Is it any wonder that suicide is epidemic? Suicides are those whose “shallow relationships” become a place for fondling depression and low self worth.

That smoldering loneliness of “shallow relationships” cries out,

“Do I matter? Why do I have life? Am I producing anything that has real value and meaning?”

Indeed, having “shallow relationships” is emotionally expensive.

Creating and nourishing close personal relationships provide us overall health, wholeness, and meaning in life.