I'm so Lonely !!

No one, except the person who suffers it, knows what it is like to be lonely. This condition is one of the worst illnesses of the mind and heart, primarily because very few recognize it as a problem. Most people like to believe that those who experience loneliness deserve it because of some defect in their genetic makeup or a flaw in their nature. There are other people who think that lonely individuals are selfish, self-absorbed human beings, who avoid mingling with the masses out of pride or conceit.
As I said, no one except the sufferer knows what a person who is lonely goes through everyday. A lonely person can lead a life of quiet desperation or express the pain of loneliness in a self-destructive manner.
Yet, certain souls exist who accept the loneliness of their existence and attempt to make the best of it. Animal people adopt cats or dogs, hamsters or chickens and find companionship in the innocence of these creatures. Some adopt a baby and assuage their feelings of loneliness by nurturing a young life. Others dedicate themselves to social work and find solace in caring for those who are in need.
Finally, a particular kind of lonely individuals find companionship in books. They’re probably not animal people, so pets are ruled out; their parenting skills are very limited, therefore the question of adoption as a single parent doesn’t arise. Those with unstable financial situations could not possibly abandon paying jobs and become social workers (another reason why lonely souls are considered selfish – they supposedly abandon responsibility and roam around trying to save the world; contrarily, not helping the needy makes them selfish in the eyes of high-minded people as well. It’s a vicious circle.)

This particular breed of lonely individuals finds companionship in books. Old proverbs and sayings notwithstanding, I have learned that books can indeed become true friends. How, you ask? Well, permit me to elaborate (but not so much that the reader gets more bored!)

Most book lovers have an expansive collection or library of books. Some may treat it like a circulating library, lending books to friends and borrowing from others. In my opinion, however, a true book lover is one who treasures his or her private book collection more than the greatest treasure in the world. And who wouldn’t guard such valuable items carefully? Book lovers or   are known to jealously protect their books from borrowers, thieves and vandals. They maintain their bookshelf or cupboard regularly, keeping it free of dust and/or vermin. They would never write on their books with ink lest its beauty be spoiled. They count their book collection, not as an asset to be sold at any point, but as a friend or relative to love and cherish as long as they live. And no, they wouldn’t want to be buried with their books. Their love of the written word would compel them to donate their book collection to someone who could take care of it and gain as much knowledge from it as the book worms did when they lived.

It seems like a sad and lonely life. Well, it is. But voracious readers know that no one who loves books can ever be really lonely. They might have moments of self-pity, but those pass quickly and once they pick up that sheaf of paper bound in an illustrated cover, every negative feeling vanishes. Books take willing readers on fascinating journeys through different places and into the lives of characters. They enrich their minds with knowledge and teach them to appreciate the beauty of language. Books are constant companions through good times and bad, in sickness and in health for as long as the reader and the read shall live.

As Francis Bacon said, “For friends…do but look upon good books: they are true friends, that will neither flatter nor dissemble.”