“Loneliness the clearest of crystal insight into your own soul, it’s the fear of one's own self that haunts the lonely. “
Keith Haynie
Keith Haynie
For the past several months, the subject of “The Dangers of Loneliness” and how it affects one’s decision-making has lingered in my thoughts. Human nature can be very judgmental of character and the question of why and how could someone do something is easy to say as an outsider looking in. Reality TV has become the norm and is supposed to be an unscripted portrayal of someone’s life. However, the bad aspects of a person’s character have become something to be glorified for shock value and entertainment. Right, wrong or indifferent the choice a person makes has a lot more to do with being comfortable with being alone with both the flattering and unflattering versions of self. In addition, whether or not doing something out of a complete sense of loneliness outweighs what doing something because of its consequences brings. A friend of mine once told me, “I drink alcohol excessively to escape reality.” I am not here to judge this person but to deepen an awareness of just how much escaping feelings of being alone is the underlying reason behind a vice that has become obsessive. A little bit closer to home, why did I become involved in something and with someone despite the obvious warning signs alerting me it was not a good idea. I should have avoided many unhealthy lifestyle choices. The results have been a series of heartbreaks, regrets, disappointments and self-inventory checks starting with “I knew better but I did it anyway.” Did I only do those things of out of feelings of loneliness or are there other deeply rooted issues unresolved at the surface? The verdict is still out and varies based on the situation but the truth is feelings of loneliness visits every person at some point. Overall, I challenge you to take an introspective look at yourself and the people you judge to consider the dangers of loneliness and the impact it has had on your decisions and the decisions of those around you.
