Editor's Blog Apr 23rd 2012
Are we alone?
In the grand scheme of things, at a universal level, many will argue that life on earth is a singular occurrence. The laws of probability dictate that this way of thinking is somewhat flawed due to the amount of galaxies that could have billions of solar systems just like ours.
But I am not going to be talking about little green men, I am going to be talking about why on a planet of 7 billion souls can we sometimes feel so alone. One can be alone and not think much of it. One can even say that being alone isn’t really that bad.
At home you may take time to do your spring cleaning totally naked while playing George Michael’s very funky tune AS at full blast. Or sit around with your hands down your pants watching re runs of married with children and eating Doritos without fear of repercussion.
For the ones that don’t have the urge to strip and dance, life can be as simple as being able to read a book without having to deal with the stresses of co habiting and having to give your time and attention to others.
We are fragile creatures though, sometimes we can alienate ourselves from family, friends, partners and children, sometimes we are found at the whim of circumstance to be suddenly left alone, a break up, a bereavement, an argument can leave us feeling very lonely without the support or warmth of something you require to function.
Whether you enjoy it or not, or whether solitude has been thrust upon you, can we honestly say we are truly alone, without support, without having anyone to turn to?
I have found great solace in the importance of friends, I am not talking about the fly by night variety of friend, I am talking about the ones that really see you, the ones that when you are a mess and you are putting up that façade, can see right through that and ask about how you are doing, and when you tell them what is wrong they don’t judge you but sit there being a pillar for you to throw your pain at.
We are born to our families, there is no choice in the matter, good or bad, but we can choose our friends, and I can say hand on heart I have done very well.
