Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83 based; site hound.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!hound!ganns
From: ganns@hound.UUCP (R.GANNS)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: loneliness
Message-ID: <1038@hound.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 29-Mar-85 11:05:29 EST
Article-I.D.: hound.1038
Posted: Fri Mar 29 11:05:29 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 30-Mar-85 01:23:22 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 43

Try this for a cure for loneliness: Go outside for a long
walk somewhere, allowing a couple of hours. During the
walk, honestly examine in your mind what you really want
to do with your life; don't worry if you don't trust
yourself to come up with a practical, reasonable goal--
that doesn't matter--just come up with a goal, and be
honest with yourself--is it something you really want to
do, or is it what others tell you you should do (or what
you think is "expected" of you). If you want to be a
fireman or a circus lion-tamer, so be it.

Once you have  established this goal, very carefully outline
a series of steps that must be taken -- a set of intermediate
goals, and methodically start down the list. If the goal
is at all ambitious, you'll have plenty to do, and therein
lies the cure of loneliness--keep busy at what you want
to do, and you'll have all the company you need (unless your
goal is to be a hermit, in which case you're not being
honest with yourself).

Don't be afraid to periodically go through the process all
over again; as one gains experience, one's values and goals
should evolve, so don't rigidly force yourself down a
path that is now obsolete; on the other hand, don't abandon
a goal just because the going gets tough from time to time.

This may all sound simplistic, but loneliness is really 
self-imposed--the lonely person is feeling sorry for
themselves because the world isn't beating a path to
their door; the point is, YOU beat a path to the world's
door--life is really what you make it. Just remind yourself
from time to time how short life is--what fraction of
your lifespan is already gone? If you found out tomorrow
that you have a fatal disease and have 1 year left, what
would you do to get the most out of this last year?
Well, start doing it now, because there really aren't 
very many years left, so don't waste any!

Finally, work on your sense of humor--go see comedies,
read humorous novels, stories, etc.; try writing some.
Learn the art of telling jokes (the best ones are a
bit off-color); use your imagination.
 --Rich Ganns ihnp4!hou2a!hound!ganns