The Book of Joy

possibly can and say that the experience they have is something that
many other people also have. Feeling lonely is not something that we do
deliberately. I don’t think you set out to say, I want to feel lonely. It’s
just there. It happens and for very many reasons.
“You want to make the person feel really as they are, special. And
accepted as they are and help to open them. I can very well understand
the incredible anguish and pain that someone must feel who is cooped up
in a room because they are scared of going out and being rejected. And
you just hope and pray that they will find a fellowship of people who will
embrace and welcome them. It’s wonderful to see people who were
closed down open up like a beautiful flower in the warmth and acceptance
of those around them.”
What I had learned from our dialogue was that we did not have to wait
for others to open their hearts to us. By opening our heart to them, we
could feel connected to them, whether on a mountaintop or in the middle
of Manhattan.