Two is company and three is a crowd. But is onesome definitely lonesome?

I firmly belive in two kinds of people in society.

One is the kind that requires company for everything it does. This kind makes shopping trips together with people, socializes in a group, goes to the movies accompanied by friends and families, likes to eat its meals with company, etc, etc., etc.

And, then there is the other kind.

This kind likes occasional company but is picky about the company it keeps. This kind likes its own company a lot too. Therefore, given a choice between boring /oppresive/down right irritating company and its own, it would choose its own.

These are the same people who are comfortable with their own person. Their thoughts and their feelings. These are the same people who like to introspect. They like to observe life from afar at times without being an active participant in the goings on.

Should these people be mistaken to be lonely?

Lets take a common work scenario. At the lunch hour there are people who wait for flocks of people to accompany them to the pantry for lunch. It doesn’t matter whether any of them are your friends or people whose company you enjoy.

If a person sits alone on a table, he/she is generally mistaken to be reserved or snobbish.

Well, maybe the person instead of idle gossip and silly chatter, just likes to savours his meal at mealtime. Take in the aroma of the food he is eating, relish each morsel that goes into his mouth and thank the Almighty for his blessings.

How can a person be left alone?

To which a reply like

‘No, I like the pantry food.’

Would elicit a reaction like

‘Don’t bother. Why don’t you join me?’

Maybe, because the poor fella doesn’t want to!

Maybe he likes the food in the pantry better.

Maybe he likes his own company better too as opposed to yours!

May he doesn’t want to be rushed into a quick snack as opposed to a relaxed wholesome meal.

‘I don’t really eat much at lunch but I will give you company’

Turns out she polished off half of your vegetable on the pretext of tasting!

Another interesting scenario is that of the movies.

How weird is that person that sits in the middle of the second last row in the theatre all by himself and sees a movie!

Have you ever wondered why we always look for company to go and see that great movie that we’ve been waiting for months? And a lot of times end up missing it altogether coz nobody was interested in the same.

Why is the guy who decides to see that movie no matter what considered such a weirdo?

‘Its odd.’

‘Its not normal.’

‘Theres something really corny about that guy!’

‘A complete whacko!’

Would be some of the standard responses to that one.

To me, the concept of company is very delusional. For you can be surrounded by company all the time and yet be a very lonely person.

And then you could be seen alone most of the time, but having no anxiety owing to that.

No doubt man is a social animal. But doesn’t man need time to connect with himself too?

When do we take out that time to sit back and hear our own thoughts?

A person talking to his own self is always considered crazy.

But instead of making such a strong judgement shouldn’t we in all honesty confess that all of us do the same? The difference lies only in the fact that for some the lips move and for some it’s all in the mind.

Talking to oneself is also seen as a sign of great worry. The person obviously has a lot on his mind to be onto something like that.

Sure.So why not let him sort it out? After all, we are quite equipped to handle our problems ourselves. Maybe the guy’s self-pride stops him from running to somebody for help in putting his own thoughts in order. Such a person is misconstrued many a times for his behaviour. In all likelyhood he would end up irking quite a few people around him for being a closed a book whereas maybe his intention was just to be least bothersome.

I find this behaviour of our society quite questionable.

To all who read this post, do mention your viewpoint on the same irrespective of whether you agree or disagree.

If you agree I’d understand that there are other people who think similarly. If you disagree, I would be eager to look at the same scenarios from a different perspective.