Life as a Loner

Life as a loner is not a simple one. Many might think it is, but they are very mistaken. Life as a loner takes a certain talent and skill that is not well received to the general public. Lucky for anyone reading this, I am a professional loner. And I know all the tricks of the trade.

I guess you could say that I’ve been a loner since the very beginning. I was far from being your typical child, and being “special” usually means you go through life on an unbeaten trail. You are typically an explorer who ventures out into the wilderness with only a backpack and compass and no friend in sight. But you accept it and keep moving because that’s what loners do. They keep moving.

During my teenage years was when I truly shined as a loner. Well, maybe shined isn’t quite the right word. In school I was friends with the shadows on the wall, always dancing in the background. I kept my head down and kept to myself, just wanting to make it through the day. Yet there was still a part of me that yearned to be seen by my peers. Despite me fighting the longing power inside me, I wanted to feel important to others. On the outside I was quiet, but on the inside I was yelling out, desperate for someone to hear me. But no one did. So I continued on in my life as a loner, sticking close to the shadows.

As an adult being a loner is something completely different. Being an adults means you have to socialize in order to survive. You can’t just be away from the crowd and expect to make a profitable living. You’re forced to be around others while on the job. You’re expected to mingle within various social groups and to be as extroverted as possible. All in all, it can be quite exhausting. And trying to be a loner in the midst of all that commotion can be quite the challenge. Yet somehow I still prevail. Every day I resort back to that feeling that I’ve had ever since I was a little girl. It’s that knowing feeling that you’re different and you’re looking from the outside in. You can be fully immersed within a crowd of people, yet at the same time feel like you’re a million miles away on a deserted island. It’s almost like you’re on a different plane of existence. At least that’s how I feel.

Some may see life as a loner as sad or depressing. They feel sorry for those who don’t fit in. But there’s more to life as a loner than what is on the surface. Yes, there have been dark times in my life where it would have been better for me not to isolate myself. Maybe I would have been more popular or had more friends. But that person would not have been me. My life is different from many people, yet it is the same to many others. Many people can fall under the category of loner, yet they are an integral part to society as a whole and should be valued.

Embrace the life of a loner but don’t be afraid to take a chance and reach out. There is a big world out there and a place for everyone.