Sunday, April 17, 2011

Alone: Isn’t it wonderful?

Man is a social animal and if we get the prefix of 'social' away from this elucidation, the man would not be anything else but an animal. The reason to start this post with this highly accredited quote of Aristotle is to admit that living alone, away from my friends and family made me quite an animal. Oh! Do you think confession of being an animal is embarrassing? Not anymore. Still not believing, okay let me campaign my case this way. Animals haven't made any harm to this world; no Hippopotamus has invented Kalashnikov, had not heard about any incidence of Bear been thrown out of the jungle because he is black, and even there is not any evidence of an event when a group of Lions tried to invade another jungle and killed all their naive breed. So, believe me I am feeling myself much more pious and noble than ever before by categorizing myself out of this brainy race called human.

To be on your own is quite an experience but not always as adventurous as for Kavin McAllister in Home Alone. It would be fun for few days but more we get used to it, more we become addicted to our own selves. An alone man likes to share, talk, walk, mourn, and enjoy with his own self. One acute examples of the same is the role of Chuck Noland played awesomely well by Tom Hanks in Cast Away. Being unaccompanied has its own advantages which cannot be substituted easily, read below to find quite an handful of blessings;

  • Liberty, freedom, independence, and what not. I can read a book anytime, watch any movie of my taste, and have full autonomy of remote (Ah… what a blessing).
  • No one is there to say its bedtime; when the world is snoring under their blankets, I would be enjoying the dazzling performances of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.
  • Most of the souls mingle around us even don't recognize their own selves. About their own personality, a myth or perception has been mapped in their minds which most of the time is far away from the reality. Spending time in your own company helps in knowing and sometimes even exploring hidden traits of one's own self (let me make it short: self-realization)
  • Another awesome thing which I cannot forget to mention is that there is no one to ask me to go to market and buy some eggs or bread for the breakfast. If there is nothing to eat in the morning, no problem, just have a pack of Milo and leave the home with eyes full of dreams but stomach empty of anything.
  • Complete your office assignments by late sittings (high probability of promotion), hangout with friends (more social acceptance), enjoy late night shows… no one is there to ask you anything whenever you come to your place.

A lot said about the awesomeness and fascination of living alone but one thing I would admit openheartedly is that living alone creates a strange emptiness in the personality and the place where you live can't ever be pronounced as home no matter how much you decorate it. The cost of aforementioned purported blessings is too high; there is no father to scold you on coming late, no brother to play cricket with you in veranda, no sister to ask for some bucks to change her latest mobile, no nephew to insist for a ride, and no mother to kiss your forehead when you comeback from work. On coming back from work, empty rooms and deadly silence are the only things which welcome you.

Logically I may have got your verdict in my favor on making right decision of living cast aside. Now I am thinking that when I would be in my late fifties, alone again but that time not by choice indeed by circumstances, then I would definitely regret the decision of living away from my family and the opportunity cost I have paid to earn few bucks. There are few things which are priceless and if we give cold-shoulder to them, life will snub you in return.