I remember standing on the stony shore of Lake Ontario last January, a mean-spirited wind ripping across the water, the cold slicing through my coat, staring blankly, taking in everything and nothing at once, and realizing that it would be the loneliest year of my life.
There's a difference between being lonely and being alone. Being alone is physical, feeling alone is metaphysical. One is objective, the other subjective. The subjective, metaphysical version is much harder to deal with. Like you said, feeling like you miss someone you've never met.
No one knows you like you do. And no one can ever even begin to, even if you described every waking thought to them. But as long as you love yourself, and you enjoy your own company, even if you're physically alone, you'll never actually be alone.
Thanks for reading Ray and the insightful reflection here. I think you're exactly right on the dichotomy between metaphysical and objective aloneness. I love solitude and quiet time and spend large swaths of time pleasantly alone, but still the cosmic reality of my aloneness is daunting.
There's a difference indeed between loneliness and aloneness. I always liked Osho's perspective on it - loneliness is missing someone (even if anyone), aloneness is presence with oneself. And I think it's natural or human to be shifting between both perceptions. Sometimes, aloneness can get too much. It's about sharing it with others, strangers and or other connections, human and animal and spirit alike. Today, I don't feel the weight of aloneness, only lightness of it, within the intrinsic interconnectedness with all. With you writing this beautiful pondering too.
I feel I always find tidbits of comfort as I live on my edge. This is one of those tidbits. Something that makes you feel as if you're on the right path, almost justifying the struggles you've been going through and granting the energy to continue moving forward. Perhaps it is because my mind starts searching as it gets closer to failure... and because it is searching, it inevitably finds a solution.
Tommy, I seem to recognize the boardwalk in the photo (alhtough I may be totally off) ! Is this by any chance in the Laurel Creek Conservation area...?
Hey Ruth! The boardwalk is in the Ken Reid Conservation Area, just outside of Lindsay. But, funny enough, I was in Laurel Creek a week after I took these photos, visiting my sister who lives in the area.
Ha - I guess boardwalks have the tendency to look the same...:) Looks like we are fellow Ontarians! We've connected with some other like-minded writers and may be hosting some in-person gatherings this year. Let me know if you are interested in joining in!
thank you so much for writing this, I feel you, in an explicable way, you are able to sum up the large parts of our experience and my observations as whole. And I like your writing style with updates and some pics, it makes it wholesome, I will try my best to become a patron soon, coz I do like your writing style.
I like the glittering sun. And a counterpoint, and also by David Whyte, “you’ve already arrived.” It’s hard to be alone when consciousness and its contents is ever present, something to be and observe, and take wonder in, all the time.
Thank you Tommy. Loved your reflections on how we will never truly understand another's experience, or be understood totally. I really feel this. Also the part about making peace with being an outsider. The scariest thing but perhaps the most liberating.
Thank you for reading Josh and the beautiful reflection here. I think you captured the core idea the piece was orbiting: "we will never truly understand another's experience, or be understood totally".
There's a difference between being lonely and being alone. Being alone is physical, feeling alone is metaphysical. One is objective, the other subjective. The subjective, metaphysical version is much harder to deal with. Like you said, feeling like you miss someone you've never met.
No one knows you like you do. And no one can ever even begin to, even if you described every waking thought to them. But as long as you love yourself, and you enjoy your own company, even if you're physically alone, you'll never actually be alone.
Thanks for reading Ray and the insightful reflection here. I think you're exactly right on the dichotomy between metaphysical and objective aloneness. I love solitude and quiet time and spend large swaths of time pleasantly alone, but still the cosmic reality of my aloneness is daunting.
Appreciate your time & thought here (:
There's a difference indeed between loneliness and aloneness. I always liked Osho's perspective on it - loneliness is missing someone (even if anyone), aloneness is presence with oneself. And I think it's natural or human to be shifting between both perceptions. Sometimes, aloneness can get too much. It's about sharing it with others, strangers and or other connections, human and animal and spirit alike. Today, I don't feel the weight of aloneness, only lightness of it, within the intrinsic interconnectedness with all. With you writing this beautiful pondering too.
Thank you for reading Alica and such a beautiful reflection here (:
I've just posted an essay on loneliness and this one came up tonight on my feed. It’s beautiful and highly comforting to me.
Thank you Pauline (: appreciate you reading & so glad it resonated
I am gonna have to think about this for some days now. Amazing piece.
Thank you (: really appreciate you reading & the kind words
Thankyou for this beautiful piece.🌞sending you a little Sydney sunshine.
Thank you for reading Chrissi (: and the sunshine
I feel I always find tidbits of comfort as I live on my edge. This is one of those tidbits. Something that makes you feel as if you're on the right path, almost justifying the struggles you've been going through and granting the energy to continue moving forward. Perhaps it is because my mind starts searching as it gets closer to failure... and because it is searching, it inevitably finds a solution.
Thank you for reading Robert, and such a beautiful reflection here. Sending all the good vibes (:
Tommy, I seem to recognize the boardwalk in the photo (alhtough I may be totally off) ! Is this by any chance in the Laurel Creek Conservation area...?
Hey Ruth! The boardwalk is in the Ken Reid Conservation Area, just outside of Lindsay. But, funny enough, I was in Laurel Creek a week after I took these photos, visiting my sister who lives in the area.
Ha - I guess boardwalks have the tendency to look the same...:) Looks like we are fellow Ontarians! We've connected with some other like-minded writers and may be hosting some in-person gatherings this year. Let me know if you are interested in joining in!
I love the reference to that hideous strength by cs Lewis, it’s such a good book
Thank you for reading Basil! I have read a bit of CS Lewis but not that book, funny there was a connection though.
I really like your style of writing. Ideas expressed vividly. Visit Kenya someday, and write about it.
Thank you Simon, I really appreciate you reading & taking the time to leave a few kind words. I would love to visit Kenya someday.
thank you so much for writing this, I feel you, in an explicable way, you are able to sum up the large parts of our experience and my observations as whole. And I like your writing style with updates and some pics, it makes it wholesome, I will try my best to become a patron soon, coz I do like your writing style.
Thank you Calra (: really appreciate you reading & the kind words on my work. Means a lot.
The photos 🤩
Enjoyed reading this. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Heather, appreciate you reading (:
Anytime 🫶🏻
I like the glittering sun. And a counterpoint, and also by David Whyte, “you’ve already arrived.” It’s hard to be alone when consciousness and its contents is ever present, something to be and observe, and take wonder in, all the time.
Thank you for reading Yanik and the thoughtful reflection here. I'll be thinking on this for a while: "consciousness and its contents is ever present"
Alone, together.
I think that's it Henry, I think that's it. Thank you for reading (:
Beautiful, man. Captured something that's really alive for me, something at the essence of our experience.
Thank you Alex (: your words always mean a lot. Glad to hear it's something you've also been contemplating and I'm not alone there
Thank you Tommy. Loved your reflections on how we will never truly understand another's experience, or be understood totally. I really feel this. Also the part about making peace with being an outsider. The scariest thing but perhaps the most liberating.
Thank you for reading Josh and the beautiful reflection here. I think you captured the core idea the piece was orbiting: "we will never truly understand another's experience, or be understood totally".
Appreciate your presence here (: