Wednesday, September 22, 2010

a strange thing is loneliness




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What a strange thing is loneliness, and how frightening it is! We never allow ourselves to get too close to it; and if by chance we do, we quickly run away from it. We will do anything to escape from loneliness, to cover it up. Our conscious and unconscious preoccupation seems to be to avoid it or to overcome it. Avoiding and overcoming loneliness are equally futile; though suppressed or neglected, the pain, the problem, is still there. You may lose yourself in a crowd, and yet be utterly lonely; you may be intensely active, but loneliness silently creeps upon you; put the book down, and it is there. Amusements and drinks cannot drown loneliness; you may temporarily evade it, but when the laughter and the effects of alcohol are over, the fear of loneliness returns. You may be ambitious and successful, you may have vast power over others, you may be rich in knowledge, you may worship and forget yourself in the rigmarole of rituals; but do what you will, the ache of loneliness continues. You may exist only for your son, for the Master, for the expression of your talent; but like the darkness, loneliness covers you. You may love or hate, escape from it according to your temperament and psychological demands; but loneliness is there, waiting and watching, withdrawing only to approach again.
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J. Krishnamurti
from his Commentaries on Living Series I
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1 comments:

Ettore Grillo said...

Yes, loneliness is part of ourselves. We would not be human beings without our feelings, and loneliness is a feeling like other.
But being without God causes much more loneliness, nudity. Adam and Eve found out themselves alone and naked because of the separation from God. Without God we cannot do anything and loneliness will be out faithfull friend.
The book I have written deepens this issue. The title is "Travels of the Mind". My website is www.ettoregrilllo.com
If you have any question I am most willing to discuss this topic.
Ettore Grillo