One Doesn't Have to be the Loneliest Number
Story By Lt. John Sears, chaplain
Being single can be a fantastic time in your life, no one to tell you what to do, where to go, or what to eat. I remember in college on a Saturday morning having a huge piece of cake for breakfast. Why? Because I felt like it.
With no parents around to tell me not to do it, I was master of my apartment and
could have whatever I wanted! And in my sugar rush, I even considered running with scissors, but thankfully didn't go through with it. 
Pictured above is Lt. John Sears, chaplain. Coast Guard photograph by PA1 Donnie Brzuska.
Yes, being on your own can be a great time. But, it can also be a time to do more than just exert your independence and throw culinary caution to the wind. It can be a time in which you can grow spiritually and fortify your character.
Just You
Perhaps, like many, you will never again have the chance to be by yourself, discovering who God is calling you to be. Once you have a family, you will be busy living up to commitments you made, so you will have less time for yourself. Now is the time you can really try new things and discover the possibilities of who you can become.
The Power of One
Have you ever considered what a great opportunity you may have if you are single to really make a difference? One of the great things about not having a spouse, children or other family commitments is that you have the unique ability to serve our world in a way no one else can.
If someone needs help, you don't have to coordinate it with the rest of the family. You don't have to find childcare while you volunteer at a local building site. Part of the beauty of being your own scheduler is the ability to carve out time to help others on a moment's notice and know that you can follow through.
Free to Be Me
With the new found freedom you have, don't be tempted to just follow the crowd. What a shame it would be to miss out on the one chance to try something you have never done before but have always dreamed of doing. You could give up smoking, take up karate, read your Bible in a year or teach an illiterate adult to read.
Don't just go to clubs to listen to music or throw a few back watching ESPN. Make your own music, write a novel or read the great philosophers and theologians while working on your tan. Work hard at discovering just who you are and whom God is calling you to be. Namely, the you that you will live with for the rest of your life and perhaps even for eternity.
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