I appreciate the sentiment behind your writing this. Your words show a genuine character and some amount of thought, both positive and negative, has gone into the article and views you've expressed.

At the same time, I think that there is perhaps confusion between being alone and loneliness. I also have a problem with notion of 'love'. Yes, I know it is a common word/concept/notion and that most can't or won't understand why I have no regard for it and avoid using it, though sometimes, because of its ubiquity and my conditioning, it still comes out.

I don't believe that anyone owes anyone anything, save perhaps respect that whatever 'being' entails, others have as much or as little right to it as oneself.

I do identify with the stark feel of sheets when the bed is empty of an intimate partner, a confidant, someone who reassures, cares, warms and protects, regardless of whether they are stronger or weaker than yourself - because they share their being with your being and hence synergy occurs, 1+1=3, for each of you, 'being' is better when together than when on your own.

For me, this is empathy - not 'love'. People love their dogs, their toasters, their shiny new cars, their new hairstyle, and etc. Try empathising with any of these.

Two people who truly share empathy each gain and also put out more into the World and are better human beings for doing so.

One can show and deliver empathy whether alone, lonely or in the midst of friends, family or others for empathy is about unselfishness, about putting out, about giving. 'Love', at least as it is seen today, in my view is about self and, as such, very easily is displaced by loneliness, despair, regret, antipathy, disregard, ill-feeling, disdain, convenience, obligation, even terror, abuse, and confinement.

Empathy cannot exist with any of these impediments and, indeed, they cannot exist where empathy provides the true bond.

I'm not one for trite sayings but if there is one that should definitely be changed is is that: "Love makes the World go round." - It doesn't. If anything could, it would be empathy.

Take care. Stay safe. ☮️

#BORC