LONELINESS 

I used to feel lonely sometimes.  I felt like people didn’t really “get me.”  And I blamed them for not getting me.  Then I came to realize that my pride kept me from really letting people know me.

I was very concerned about how people perceived me, that they think I was smart, good, right, and all sorts of other “valuable” things.  As a result I wore masks and facades.  Putting forth only those sides of me that I thought people would approve of.

So of course people didn’t really know me.  How could they when I wore so many masks?  So of course I was right that people didn’t get me, because I wouldn’t let them.

And this loss of connection from people caused me to feel lonely a lot of the time.

When I began to give up my prideful ways, and seek a truly authentic way of living my life, letting people really know everything about me, to the extent they wanted to know, I began to feel connected with people, and I began to feel that people DID understand me.  And while they didn’t always approve of what I said, did, or thought, at least they knew the real me.

And with that loneliness vanished.

Vanished.

So if I ever feel lonely again, I will know I am up to that same dysfunctional, prideful behavior again, and I know the cure.

Open myself up to people.  No more loneliness.