Dr Paul Allen

A recent report by the Canberra -based research centre, the Australia Institute , gives us a rare insight into loneliness , and suggests it is increasing despite the burgeoning use of social media, which, although it facilitates much communication, might not be creating as much human connection as one might have thought. The report,  All the lonely people , was written by the institute's research director, David Baker, today's guest in The Zone. The full transcript of our interview and a short video are at theage.com.au/opinion/the-zone. ''The incidence of loneliness is growing because people come in and out of it. In any given year, one in 10 of us is experiencing loneliness. But because we move out of it and other people come in, over the last 10 years three out of 10 of us have experienced loneliness. That transition rate is increasing, so more people are moving into loneliness.'' Baker drew heavily on data collected over 10 years by a government-fun

Image via Wikipedia There are very few words that transcend circumstances. There are very few words that go beyond social, economic and marital status. There are very few words that hit all of us in the same way, at the same time and with the same potential for impact and change. But these 4 words do: “I am with you.” God is with us. Not distant. Not removed, but close. Not uncaring, but empathetic. Not far off, but living inside us. He is with us. To the single mom working 2 jobs and still coming up short every month:  I AM with you. To the one filled with anxiety and worry in this moment right now:  I AM with you. To the unemployed:  I AM with you. To the one that hates the way their body looks and how they feel when they look in the mirror:  I AM with you. To the person that has no idea what their purpose or passion in life is:  I AM with you. To failure and the mess up that can’t see how they could ever recover from their mistake:  I AM with you. To the person that finds their