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Saturday, 7 March 2015

The Error of Feeling Alone

Have you ever thought it peculiar that when you are alone you are much more likely to get that dreadful being watched feeling, like someone is just over your shoulder, staring at you? Perhaps it's ghosts, faeries, alien creatures from another planet. Perhaps it's vampires, werewolves, God. Perhaps your neighbour is watching your house with binoculars. Perhaps you have an over-active imagination. Perhaps we've evolved to be most wary when we know we're alone and there's nobody to help us defend ourselves... It's probably that.
But are you alone when you feel you're alone? There must be a billion insects for every human, surely. Do you think your house is insect free? It isn't.
Sorry if I creeped you out there, but it's true! You're not alone. I know a cricket isn't much of of a conversationalist, but you can't deny they're there.
So are you alone or are you lonely? Perhaps you’re not really either. “It’s good to be home all alone!” you declare, your hand absent-mindedly stroking the cat very alive, very real, very obviously beside you.
“It’s good to be home alone!” you declare before poking your head out the back door to see what your dog is barking at.

What are you made of? Water? Air? Atoms? Is there anywhere you look that you cannot see these things? Tell me one thing you can touch that has not a single molecule. You can’t. Not only are you not alone but the things around you are more like you than you can imagine. When you feel alone, look around. When you feel lonely, remember. We are all the same, we are all different, we are all on the same organic space ship circling a star. You are not alone.


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