Stat of the day, (and, as Dave Barry would say) so far.

As of 2004, the average American had just two close friends, compared with three in 1985. Those reporting no confidants at all jumped from 10 percent to 25 percent. Even the share of Americans reporting a healthy circle of four or five friends had plunged from 33 percent to just over 15 percent.

Increasingly, those whom we consider close friends—if we have any—are household members, not people who "bind us to community and neighborhood." Our wider social connections seem to be shriveling like a turkey left too long in the oven.

Source: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/november/30.31.html

Today a pastor friend of mine was telling me about a conversation he had on Sunday morning.  A woman came up to him and thanked him so much for the time he spent with her last year.  My pastor buddy, who really is great with people, could not place her.  It stuck me 1) how important our interactions are with people.  And, 2) how much people crave relationships.

Think about the issue of loneliness before your next planning meeting.