'Loneliness is everywhere and the forgotten people of society are drowning' - Kilkenny Live

Friendship — one of life’s greatest mysteries. A complex, dynamic relationship which varies from person to person. A connection between people that can form in an instant and fall apart just as quickly.

Defined in the dictionary as: "A state of enduring affection, esteem, intimacy, and trust between two people. In all cultures, friendships are important relationships throughout a person’s life span." 

But, it’s so much more than a dictionary definition. It’s a bond, a connection and an understanding that no matter what life throws at you, you and your closest friend/s will be beside you every step of the way. Well, at least that’s what it used to be...

No doubt you’ve read numerous columns condemning the behaviours of Generations Z or Alpha, or in layman’s language, 'youngsters'. From lack of social skills to attention spans that last a grand total of five micro-seconds, phones, tablets and computers have melted our brains to sludge, As a result, many personal traits that were once held sacred have been taken away by these new-age developments. One such casualty is the sidelining of kindness.

The ability to be kind to one another and care for our fellow men and women seems to have fallen by the wayside, thus becoming this generation's greatest flaw

When historians and social scientists examine this period of history, they may or may not draw connections between these behaviours and the digital world we inhabit, but either way, our conduct as a society has changed utterly in this era, thus destroying the friendships and relationships we not only crave, we require.

From showcasing the perfect life online, 24/7 contact and a constant obsession to open our phones, our habits have changed alarmingly, damaging certain abilities our parents and grandparents once held dear. None more so than the ability to talk. I hold a stomach-wrenching fear the art of friendship is dying a slow death as a result and killing relationships as we know them forever.

Gone are the days when you could spark up an instant relationship with your neighbour with the same level of ease as our parents or grandparents did, nevermind creating an instant bond on meeting someone for the first time. This guarded approach forces people into isolation.

Loneliness is everywhere and the forgotten people of society are drowning. Sit as they may garnering thousands of Facebook friends it has not nor will it ever fill that void in their heart.

The ability to sit and watch a match together, laugh and open up are not available to these people and not by choice. For those fortunate enough to be surrounded in tight knit communities this may appear alien, but we all have a role in this. So what can we do?

Reach out, speak to people and invite people into your circle. The value of comradery and friendship will be worth more to them than any Euromillions win. The stroll to the shop, the conversation about the previous evening’s match and so much more offers purpose and resembles what friendship is all about.

Seems basic right? It isn’t, and for people trapped in their own company day in, and day out, they need the metaphorical life buoy to come to their rescue, as they conned by the supposed ‘perfect lives’ of some posted online, drawing dangerous comparisons.

I hope we will reach a time in history again where we will put down our phones, smell the flowers, breathe in the air and realise we need to co-exist. To do this and be truly happy, we need to put down our devices, see the world for what it is and open our lives to our fellow humanbeings.