During his high school years, Justin Whitmel Earley “had a lot of acquaintances but no real friends.” That is until he went on a youth retreat and met a guy named Steve via a game of Hacky Sack. The two boys realized they both loved skateboarding and playing the drums. Buoyed by their newfound connection, the pair awkwardly committed to being best friends. Doing so changed Earley’s life. “Suddenly I was facing the world with the strength of a friend,” Earley told CT in a recent interview. “I can see now that the anxiety I had thought was baked into life is actually baked into loneliness.” A high school Earley is far from the only person to feel that confusing, anxiety-inducing loneliness. The United States Surgeon General has named loneliness as America’s number one health problem. Nearly half of US adults say they feel isolated and that their mental health is deteriorating. Research shows that while many people turn to social media when they’re lonely, doing so tends to leave them feeling even lonelier. Now an award-winning author, Earley spends his latest book encouraging readers to remember that they are Made For People. While initiating friendships can leave us feeling as awkward as teenagers playing Hacky Sack, we may just find that the momentary discomfort leads to a beautiful, God-given difference in our lives.
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