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Musings about Friendship
Exploring the nuanced difference between being lonely and being alone
The first days of September — not yet autumn but already the dusk of summer. It’s a strange, odd time filled with the sweet, sleepy melancholy of the passing days.
I’ve been getting a lot of messages and calls from friends abroad and local friends since I’ve been travelling for the past 2–3 weeks. It’s a wonderful feeling, but also a strange feeling I’m getting used to in this life. I’ve realized lately that now my life is filled with people, meaningful interactions and wonderful conversations more often than I’m used to.
It wasn’t always the case. In fact, I spent most of my twenties and thirties without many friends for various reasons. Part of me sought out solitude, moments of quiet and calm where I can truly feel myself in my own company. Another part me couldn’t connect with others no matter how much I desired that connection.
Of course, I always had a small circle of loved and trusted people such as family and my late husband- whom I considered a friend too. But that is different from what friendships mean in a more conventional way.
As an introvert, I often preferred the company of books and stories rather than people. I wasn’t lonely at all but instead I was often alone. There…
