[SeeGeeWhy]

Great article, thanks for posting kn.

You said you're afriad to die alone, but that is something that we will all do. Death is a personal journey, only you will get to experience your death. You'll without a doubt do it alone. Why fear that?

Homestly I feel your pain. It takes a lot of energy and effort to maintain relationships of any kind. If we don't get as much or more back from what we put in, we stop making the effort. I sometimes wonder if this is why religious congregations formed - just a reason to be with other people like yourself.

Sometimes being alone is necessary, it's not a bad thing. People make awful decisions and concessions in the name of "not being alone", but I also get how sometimes it can be too much. When I get lonely and worry about being a bad friend, or unknown and u generous in my community or to my neighbours, I worry that if I ever got really sick or in trouble, that there wouldn't be anyone around to help me out. We are vulnerable on our own, for sure... But is it possible to ever really be rid of that? I find arguing with reality leads to a lot of frustration, anxiety and I always lose. If reality is that we are vulnerable, I accept that, and being alone from time to time bothers me less as a result.

Very little feels better than being part of a tribe and feeling connected. Equally euphoric is feeling that you're living a life of purpose. Some people find their purpose in the company of others, but I believe these two needs are discrete and deserve investment of time and energy on their own.

Fatso's post is great. We aren't all meant to be friends or even acquaintances... Do you really need those sorts of relationships to receive the benefts of being authentically connected? Are you connected with yourself? I think it begins there. That's why being alone is so important, it gives you the gift of knowing yourself. From there, it makes it easier to identify groups or individuals where connection is even possible for you.

Rambling over