PHOTO

"Alone, deep in thought at Ocean Beach."
Photo by Henry Lee (fotoeins)

Friday, September 16, 2016

LONELY


I walk among throngs of people in Manhattan feeling absolutely - alone. My sunglasses hide my angst and loneliness under my chic exterior. I sit at my computer and play Scrabble and Backgammon for hours with the television droning in the background. My phone only rings when its a telemarketer or wrong number.

I watch my favorites movies over and over to escape the void in my life. I eat too much.  Meditation and yoga sometimes lessons the ache of my loneliness. You would think that I would just go to sleep, but for some reason I avoid it, until I have no choice, but to sleep. 


My minister mentioned several times in his sermons, that loneliness is now a global epidemic. I was surprised. 
I thought I was the only person feeling this empty and lost. I was intrigued with this notion that loneliness is a global epidemic. Not just me or a few Manhattanites; but millions of people across this planet are experiencing loneliness – extreme loneliness.


A loneliness that can not be described. A loneliness that we try to party, shop, fuck, eat, snort, smoke, and drink our way out of.  All of the money, smart phones, designer clothes, social media, luxury cars and toys, Likes, Followers, Instagram posts can not help us escape the inevitable loneliness; that now pervades our society and our souls. 

In a city full of seemingly chic, smart, ambitious, busy, connected people many of us are achingly lonely. We put on this facade that we are fine, maybe a little blue sometimes; but to verbally admit that we are lonely -  is just not cool.