There are many resources published this time of year encouraging those who experience loneliness and depression during the holiday season to explore various ways of connecting with those around 
them. Some people encourage doing so through volunteering or attending community gatherings and events, or of making peace with solitude through meditative and relaxation activities like taking a hot bath or curling up with a good book.
One young woman chose to handle her holiday blues in an unconventional way this year: Jackie Turner, a junior at William Jessup University near Sacramento, California, posted her desire for the experience of a loving mom and dad to craigslist.org.
Citing a childhood fraught with abuse and neglect as the primary reasons for her December depression, which she says hits hard every year, Jackie asked “to rent a mom and a dad” for a couple of hours just to know what it feels like “to be the light of their life.”
Jackie is a straight-A student who works as a part-time tutor and hopes to one day devote herself to helping children who are troubled. But when the holidays hit and she listens to everyone around her talking about family plans, Jackie says it’s difficult.
Tired of the “hurting,” she posted her ad to Craigslist. She received responses from potential “parents” who were willing to give her the love she was craving for free, as well as a number of responses from other young people who were also feeling sad and alone.
Knowing that others were in the same boat as she was moved Jackie to organize a meeting for all the people who wrote to her. The result? Love was given and received; those who were feeling alone found comfort in those who were wanting to help; and Jackie found herself a “mentor” in a woman from university student services.
“People are hurting and broken, and we need each other. We need to be loving people. That’s what tonight’s about,” said Turner in an interview with CBS News.
Reference:
Hartman, S. (2013, December 20). Calif. woman who tries to rent family via craigslist gets so much more. CBS News. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/calif-woman-tries-to-rent-family-via-craiglist-is-given-so-much-more/
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