Loneliness, An Odd Thing...

[Bobj]

Was chatting to a mate and he mentioned that he used to get lonely and went to the club to drown his sorrows...
Seems to me that this type of 'medicine' is quite popular, which is a sad way to be.
In cities, one can be so lonely with hundreds of thousands of people around, yet, one can have so much peace and not be lonely out in the backblocks.
I once went 29 days without seeing another human being. The job I was doing had run out of funds and my boss 'forgot' I was still out bush...but was as happy as I could ever be. I had a great time fishing and exploring the Fitzroy River, WA.
Then again, have had twinges of loneliness in Brissie, away from my family...

Odd, innit?

Cheers, Bobj.

[LKC]

I think that different people react to loneliness in different ways. I know people who have to be friends with everyone, and have people round them all of the time, yet I enjoy my own company and am quite happy to be on my own.

My mother in law seems worried that I only have a few friends, I think that she thinks I must be lonely. In actual fact I never feel lonely, even when I am on my own, because I enjoy my own company. Having said that, I'm not a wierdo loner or anything, and I do enjoy the company of others, it is just that being on my own doesn't scare me.

[chris955]

I could never live and work away from people, I think that is why the outback does nothing for me, too much of nothing.

[guest37336]

Was chatting to a mate and he mentioned that he used to get lonely and went to the club to drown his sorrows...
Seems to me that this type of 'medicine' is quite popular, which is a sad way to be.
In cities, one can be so lonely with hundreds of thousands of people around, yet, one can have so much peace and not be lonely out in the backblocks.
I once went 29 days without seeing another human being. The job I was doing had run out of funds and my boss 'forgot' I was still out bush...but was as happy as I could ever be. I had a great time fishing and exploring the Fitzroy River, WA.
Then again, have had twinges of loneliness in Brissie, away from my family...

Odd, innit?

Cheers, Bobj.

Hi Bob, excellent thoughts mate.

Yep, lonliness can impact on the most hardy at times, this you think would not blink an eye at such a thing, but when loneliness hits it is truly a desperate place to be. You are right, we could have many people around us, and to the outside world, everything could be OK, but inside we are in turmoil mate.

Some deal with it with booze, drugs, all manner of things, but the one thing we scream out for at times is just someone who may listen a little, no matter what is said, it can be as simple as that.

This sounds really strange Bob, but when I was lonely, etc at the worst point in my life, I decided to do a strange thing. Though I had many people around me who offered support and help nothing would help at the time. I decided to do the ONE thing that to this day I am convinced was my salvation.

I went camping in North West Australia. I didn't see a soul for around three weeks, the occasional hitcher, etc, and of course the short walk or hitch to the roadhouse to get supplies, but in the main I was completely alone.

And do you know what I found their Bob, (I bet you do) it was SOLITUDE mate, not loneliness, just absolute solitude and self awareness, a complete and utter feeling of peace and acceptance. I know this sounds strange Bob, but solitude is often a self induced frame of mind that can be a true salvation.

You work out whats important in life, what really counts and you do for some strange reason find the inner you mate. I'm not going off on one and saying we all need to find ourselves, but in solitude I think we can find out what makes us tick, well it did me anyway Bob.

As I said, loneliness is far different from solitude. One is a condition that creeps up on us over days, weeks, or months, whereas solitude is a self imposed mindset that can at the right time truly make us grateful for what we have.

I'm not advocating everybody with loneliness will be better if they find solitude, that is too simplistic in the extreme, but sometimes it takes us, our thoughts, our memories to really instil in us a sense of why. I don't know if this is making sense Bob, and if I have taken this thread Off Topic I apologise.

Cheers Tony.

[Noodle]

Yes it is strange. You can be in a room full of people yet, still feel alone. When I lived on my own, pre children and marriage, I thoroughly enjoyed being on my own. Admittedly, there was the odd occasion when out and about socializing I did feel alone. It sure is a strange one. x

[B1K3R]

I think that different people react to loneliness in different ways. I know people who have to be friends with everyone, and have people round them all of the time, yet I enjoy my own company and am quite happy to be on my own.

My mother in law seems worried that I only have a few friends, I think that she thinks I must be lonely. In actual fact I never feel lonely, even when I am on my own, because I enjoy my own company. Having said that, I'm not a wierdo loner or anything, and I do enjoy the company of others, it is just that being on my own doesn't scare me.

I understood that 100%!

Cheers
B!k3R

[TheOptimist]

I think that different people react to loneliness in different ways. I know people who have to be friends with everyone, and have people round them all of the time, yet I enjoy my own company and am quite happy to be on my own.

My mother in law seems worried that I only have a few friends, I think that she thinks I must be lonely. In actual fact I never feel lonely, even when I am on my own, because I enjoy my own company. Having said that, I'm not a wierdo loner or anything, and I do enjoy the company of others, it is just that being on my own doesn't scare me.

I can relate to this completely

[LKC]

Glad it isn't just me that feels like this! I must admit that at one point, when mil kept going on about it, it did start to make me feel like a wierdo. Then I realised that it is just how I am and there is nothing wrong with me!

[tonyman]

with 5 children a dog and a wife .....if they are all out i dont like it , im so use to the noise (even tho at times it gets too much) i dont like to be alone at night at all............

[olly]

Was chatting to a mate and he mentioned that he used to get lonely and went to the club to drown his sorrows...
Seems to me that this type of 'medicine' is quite popular, which is a sad way to be.
In cities, one can be so lonely with hundreds of thousands of people around, yet, one can have so much peace and not be lonely out in the backblocks.
I once went 29 days without seeing another human being. The job I was doing had run out of funds and my boss 'forgot' I was still out bush...but was as happy as I could ever be. I had a great time fishing and exploring the Fitzroy River, WA.
Then again, have had twinges of loneliness in Brissie, away from my family...

Odd, innit?

Cheers, Bobj.

Bobj,
If it had been these days you could have sold that story to a newspaper, with the headline 'Boss left me in the bush to fend for myself". Now that would have been worth at least $200,000, plus if you had survived on a mars bar or something that's a book and film rights. What you say is true though, there are many people alone at xmas even if they don't say so.