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| Tentative artist, 1964 |
But are they really? Or are those people who can be alone the truly "lucky" ones? I've never had a problem being by myself. Fortunately, I like to draw, paint, write, and read which kind of eliminates the need for people about 95% of the time, doesn't it? And if there are four legs, fur and whiskers around, my world is complete.
Another song comes to mind, Paul Simon's brilliant words:
"I'm not the kind of man who tends to socialize, I seem to lean on old familiar ways, and I ain't no fool for love songs that whisper in my ears..." ~ Still Crazy After All These Years
The beginnings of 'old familiar ways' can stretch back many years...the need for solitude, peace and quiet can be born early in a person's life, for a multitude of reasons. Perhaps "people" were not a source of comfort but rather irritation and even pain. Children and young adults need to be able to trust before they "need" other people, no?
And if that trust is not established at an early age, you're going to have a loner on your hands, someone whose 'best friend' is him or herself, which is not a bad thing. And not all loners are 'weird' either. They're just more comfortable being alone and in reality, that's a hell of a lot healthier than those people who cannot be alone, those "people who need people."
I know SO many people who really cannot be alone, it's mind-boggling. They fill up every available MINUTE with something to do, someone to see, they're like Alice In Wonderland's Rabbit, "I'M LATE, I'M LATE, FOR A VERY IMPORTANT DATE!"
Yes, and you probably also have hypertension and a host of other health problems because you don't know how to sit still and just ENJOY life. Just GO GO GO GO GO until you collapse, utterly exhausted...BUT you got your daily "To Do" list done, even as you swallow those blood pressure pills, so there you go!
No, creative people tend to be loners, they need the time and space to be alone with their Muse, their music, their minds. Most of the time, the mindless chatter of 'people' is a distraction, unless the conversation is a) interesting, b) intelligent, c) funny and d) occasional.
The wonderful Don McLean spoke for all artists with his exquisite song, "Starry Starry Night."
"But I could have told you, Vincent, this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you..."
And so it is not; for some of us at least.
