Loneliness. Out of all the emotions that humans experience,

loneliness might be the most universal.

Everyone has felt it at some point in their lives,

and whether it's a heartbreak, a loss, or simply being the odd one out.

And yet, even though it's everywhere, loneliness is often seen as a taboo subject.

We're taught to put on a brave face and act like everything is okay, even when it's not.

The word solitude, it conjures up different ideas, different images for different people. For some, solitude is a place of peace and quiet, where they can escape

the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

For others, solitude is a place of loneliness, isolation.

And still for others, it's simply a state of mind.

No matter how you define it, solitude is something that we all need from time to time. It's a chance to recharge our batteries, to reflect on our own lives,

and to connect with our inner selves.

But what about the side of solitude that isn't peaceful?

That's isolating. That's too quiet.

Loneliness is such a centerpiece that many countries now recognize this as a societal condition.

Even the United Kingdom in Japan, they have each appointed an official minister of loneliness.

And lately, more and more people have been writing me, saying that they're lonely.

You might think this is because they're not married, or maybe they don't have a romantic partner or whatever, but I get people reaching out to me about that kind of love, but that's not all I'm hearing.

People are sharing with me that they're lonely because they're simply alone. I got to say, I feel you. I feel how

hard it is to make friends as an adult. You remember when we were kids and I know kids today,

they don't really get the same experience, but we used to ride our bikes around the

neighborhood and chase down the ice cream truck and run around with the kids next door. We'd

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