My mom has always told me, if you have one friend, you are blessed. Contrary to my mother’s words of wisdom is society’s counter-narrative of a squad mentality, making people feel as though one friend is not enough, and that they need more. This could, definitely, be a contributing factor to anyone’s fear of being alone. When I say fear of being alone, I mean a fear of not having anyone, feeling as though no one is in your corner. It can be a romantic feeling, believing there is no one out there for you, but it is not confined to romance.

To return to my mother’s sage advice, that may not sound like a lot, one friend, but, and as cliché as it may sound, it’s not about the quantity of friendships, but the quality of said friendships. You can have one friend and if that friend is supportive and empathetic, that is a blessing in it of itself. But, is that enough for you? Perhaps, your answer is no, but my point is that if someone that awesome existed, you might not feel as pressured to have more friends.

If that does not speak to you and the fear of being alone is still looming, then remember this: we are all born with a built-in support system and if you’re like me, with a large family, you have literally never been alone. But, you don’t need to have a large family to not be alone. Again, it is not about the quantity, how many family members you have, but the quality of your support system. I was talking with my father and I asked him about myself, like could I ever truly feel alone? And he said no because when you have family, you are not ever alone. I smiled because for me, that is absolutely true. I am blessed with an amazing family that supports me in all I do and only have my best interests at heart. But everyone does not have a supportive family and I understand this. So, I offer to you one last resource. Really, the best resource.

If nothing else I have said comforts you, please keep reading. I pose, now, the question that my father posed to me. If you know God, when are you ever alone? I know we have all heard that God is like air: we can’t see him, but we know he’s there. That is not entirely true, though. When you wake up to see a brand-new day, that is His mercy, when you endure and surpass what seemed like an insurmountable struggle, that is His will, and when you are blessed with a roof over your head, food on your plate and clothes on your back, that is His providential care. So, when you are feeling alone, if all else fails, if your friends turn their backs on you and family forsakes you, remember that God has never left you.