Solitude

All around we see people who want to be the centre of attraction in a crowd. We see folks who 'have to' have attention of everyone they are sitting with. To meet this objective, they act funnier that needed, go on a I-will-mock-others-unnecessarily trip, consistently pick on someone or just try to gather sympathy or pity.

That and a lot other things. The 'I' is very pronounced even when they are sitting in a group. You don't have to start every sentence with an 'I'. 'I' is within and without. Everyone has to cater to that one 'I'.

And then there are some who love solitude. Less but right participation in groups. Fun loving people. Who just watch the court being jested by the 'I'. They more often than not smile. Smile within and without.

And there is Mr. Charles Bukowski who wrote this:
"I've never been lonely. I've been in a room - I've felt suicidal. I've been depressed. I've felt awful - awful beyond all - but I never felt that one other person could enter that room and cure what was bothering me... or that any number of people could enter that room. In other words, loneliness is something I've never been bothered with because I've always had this terrible itch for solitude. It's being at a party, or at a stadium full of people cheering for something, that I might feel loneliness. I'll quote Ibsen, "The strongest men are the most alone." I've never thought, "Well, some beautiful blonde will come in here and give me a fuck-job, rub my balls, and I'll feel good." No, that won't help. You know the typical crowd, "Wow, it's Friday night, what are you going to do? Just sit there?" Well, yeah. Because there's nothing out there. It's stupidity. Stupid people mingling with stupid people. Let them stupidify themselves. I've never been bothered with the need to rush out into the night. I hid in bars, because I didn't want to hide in factories. That's all. Sorry for all the millions, but I've never been lonely. I like myself. I'm the best form of entertainment I have. Let's drink more wine!"

Eloquent.