One thing about being an only child is the necessity to learn to play by oneself. When I was eight, we moved into a neighborhood where most of our neighbors were senior citizens. I became very good at playing by myself.
The past few times grocery shopping, I noticed most people who were there alone were talking on their cell phones. Even some people who were there with other people were carrying on a conversation on their cell phone! At times, it appeared that I was the only one there who didn't have their cell stuck to their ear. I was alone in the grocery store even while I was surrounded by people. It felt strangely comforting. It was sad, too.
For me, grocery shopping is some time when I can be alone and quiet with my thoughts. I don't *have* to interact, I can just think and concentrate on my task. Sometimes I wonder whether we're losing our comfort with just being alone with ourselves. It seems for many people if they aren't talking on their cell phones, they're listening to their iPod or radio. When do these people take time to just ruminate? Have we gotten to the point where not having something going on in our ears is just too uncomfortable?
It's Been A Long Time...
4 years ago
1 comment:
Hi Cinder Ella -
great blog :-)
great post.
I think many people fear being alone. When we're alone, we have primarily our own thoughts and character for company [and if we have any faith at all, then we've also got Someone else hanging around waiting to catch our attention. Dicey. He might have a few things to say that we don't want to hear...]
If we're trying to avoid facing something, or doing something, we need constant distraction. And if we're trying to avoid facing ourselves - or Someone Else - for any reason, the last thing on earth we'll want is to be alone.
Remember Don Quixote, and the Knight of the Mirrors? It was when he was faced by an adversary who compelled him to see himself, that Alonso Quijana's delusions were broken. [I personally sympathize with Quixote, but I also think that it's only as Quijana that we can pursue our dreams realistically.]
On the flip side, abuse survivors often revel in solitude, I find. Because nobody is hurting us then. If the abuse we experienced was nasty enough or pervasive enough, pretty much the only time nobody was hurting us was when we were alone.
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