14 Comments

I have never lived alone. I lived with my family, my roommates, my husband. Never alone. But I can tell you, even though I have been married for nearly 40 years, there are many moments in which I feel alone. My husband is my True North, my heart, my life, but he doesn't venture out much anymore. 9/11 did a number on him. He always had a fear of heights, but would travel, nonetheless. Now he's freaked out by plane travel. Then Covid set up shop in all of our homes, and that put the extra nail in his stay-at-home coffin. I'm an active, social being who refuses to live what's left of my life on the couch. All I can say is thank Baby Jesus for the many friends I have curated over the past 5 decades. I am blessed with groups of friends who tap into every facet of my splintered psyche. They are my lifeline and a glorious gift from the Universe. And yet, sometimes I feel lonely. But, like Bell, I'm getting better at being okay with it. Life is a journey, unique to each of us. But I can tell you this, woman to woman, hang on tight to your girlfriends. They were indispensable to us as preteens, before boys occupied our thinking. They become equally indispensable in our middle and later life. It's in our trusted female companions where we will find uncomplicated joy. And wine. And 10 year-old-boy humor.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. LOLOL

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To quote Gene Belcher of "Bob's Burgers"- "we're born alone, we die alone, and in between, we trick r treat alone."

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fire and based

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I've lived alone. I do things on my own. I have no siblings and I have no children. I do have a husband who is my world. Being alone is not the same as being lonely. But being lonely lurks like a monster under the bed - not quite there but not wholly absent either....

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This made me feel so seen, and less alone (funny). Thank you for sharing <3

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Worth checking out Dr Matthew Walker's research on sleep and loneliness ... was just listening to him on Rhonda Patrick's podcast and he's just published a paper on it ... pretty surprising and fascinating

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LOVE this... writing about this kind of stuff outside of a self help context is so important too... 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

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incredible writing ❤️

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I love this piece. Thank you for sharing that

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Why you want the lonlyness go fast ? It snt so acepted so

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So, what she describes is that she has no romantic partner because she has a lot of friends. Loneliness is when you have no one.

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I think loneliness can be felt at any time, even if you have a partner, family and friends.

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I think I've always felt that loneliness also. Yes I do, but and however, this loneliness is a pain coupled with the realization that I shouldn't have poopoo"d those I did have.

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