From the beginning, our instincts and reflexes are tuned to survival. Over a lifetime, we learn and hone those skills, but there comes a point when we, of necessity, surrender to the search of the ultimate goal: spiritual peace. This search is best done with family support and friends, as they bring the message of grace and the mercy of God. But all too often, loneliness blocks this message, and spiritual emptiness and suffering remain as companions.
Mother Teresa wrote, "Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty." The authors of this short book believe this to be true. We wish to relieve this distress and need your help. Loneliness does occur in many places, even the crowded streets of the cities of the world. In this book, we are focused on spiritual poverty in long-term care facilities, where we believe the problem exists in significant numbers, despite the best efforts of those charged with recreation and socialization. In addition, we believe loneliness travels with a paucity of spiritual attention, which must mean unrest. The combination of being alone and spiritually weak or disconnected, when peace is the goal for those in their last days, is the challenge. Part of the problem is our lack of awareness of these people and their situation, which brings us to our mission: to prod, beg, and stimulate people of faith to become involved in passing their faith and peace to those in need.