Thursday, October 4, 2012

Don't Be Alone

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I'm not really sure if I'm an introvert or not.  I do spend a lot of time alone, I need my space, and I don't like noise or large crowds, but on the other hand, I can definitely be a chatterbox and if I don't see anyone for too long I turn into a mushy mess of self-pitying loneliness. Introvert or not, we all need people - not just to make us happy, but to show us ourselves.   I know that sounds a bit pretentious and silly, but really.  We think we know ourselves best, that others don't understand us.  In reality, other people see things about us that we miss - quite often, unpleasant things that we shut our eyes to.  I think that when we spend too much time alone, we start to think that we're the best thing in creation.  Living in your own mind, you get all wrapped up in yourself, your preferences, your thought processes, which is nearly always bad.  I know that personally, when I spend too much time alone I start to think that I'm this extraordinarily superior, intelligent being, forced to suffer through the inferiority of a mundane, unintelligent world.  (That sentence would have been more effective if you could have heard the way my mental voice said it...)  When I go out among other people, though, all of a sudden I realize that I'm a normal person, not as smart as I could be, with plenty of annoying qualities and issues just like everyone else. Society (of the right kind) is quite humbling.


So basically, what I'm trying to say is don't be alone.  Not all the time.  I do not, of course, recommend a whirlwind of social events - indeed, I'm a firm believer in the value of quiet - but make sure you're not always alone.  It's especially easy (and tempting) to be too much alone in this day and age, with our iPods and laptops and whatever other gadgets we've got now.   But don't do it.  Call up a friend and make a date, help your mom make dinner,  hang around after church, whatever it takes.  Heck, sit in a mall and people-watch, if you have to.  But don't be alone.

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6 comments:

  1. Always like your posts such a lot, Victoria. I agree, it's really not healthy to hide away (much as I want to sometimes) all the time. I guess it's really just a balence, finding out what the right balence between going out and giving of yourself, and when is the right time to hide in a nest of blankets with a book. We need both.

    Also, your new background is perfectly lovely!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, it's definitely a delicate balance. So many things are, aren't they?

      Thank you! I rather like it myself. :)

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  2. Wonderful post, Victoria! I love it, because it's so true. When the opportunity arises, we really should spend time with people. Without, over-doing it, like you said. Ipods, computers... electronics in general are always pulling us back.

    Anyways, great post. :)

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  3. With a little revision, that could be a truly stirring post! Some lines sent shivers down my spine. You're quite right – Don't Be Alone. It's something a lot of people need to hear.

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  4. I just tagged you, if you're interested. :)

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