Sometimes, I wonder about the situations we find ourselves in. Humans, as we are, are social creatures and one of the things we thrive on is our ability to mingle with other members and even non-members of our species. For many, the sign of a good life is not usually the amount of material things that they possess, but the number of people that they’ve touched and the number of people they can rely on in whatever situation.
But then, when you think about this, it makes it seem like humans are such social creatures that we always want to be around people. In every moment of the day, we want to be surrounded by others. And by this, I’m not talking about the random people we come across on a normal day, maybe the fellow passenger on the bus, or the trader we buy from on the street. No, I’m referring to the actual friends, cousins, and people we’ve built real relationships with.
Eventually, it always gets to a point where, no matter how social you are, you get tired of having so many people around you. This is not the first time I’m talking about being an introvert, so I can tell you categorically that many times, it gets tiring being on your own all the time. Living alone is the dream for every young person. But for some of us, we’re also remote workers. So, we’re introverts, we live alone, and we barely step out of our houses. And if you’re also like me who stocks up on provisions, it’s possible to stay for days without having to set foot outside. Just you alone in the house.
Many times, it gets to me. I get tired of the screen and my own thoughts. I’d love to hear the voices of others, and not just neighbors, because I want stimulating conversations with people on the same wavelength as I. And as a result, I’d either go visit my friends or have them come over. Sometimes, I could crash at their place, or have them crash at mine.
But this feeling never lasts for too long, because eventually, I’d get tired of the company and just want to be alone. With my thoughts. That’s how crazy it can be. And funny enough, this is something that also reflects in relationships as well. There are moments when your romantic relationships feel suffocating, because they’re always up in your face, everywhere you turn, you see them. So, you crave some time away from it all, just to collect your thoughts. This doesn’t mean that you hate them or you’re done with the relationship, it could just mean that you need a single day when they’re not yapping persistently in your ears or encroaching on your space.
So now, is there a way to handle this? I don’t think there is. We just have to accept that people can feel overwhelmed from time to time. You can feel overwhelmed by the silence when you live alone, and you can feel overwhelmed by the crowd when you live with others. Either way, it shows that humans are indeed social. But just as much as we need others, there will be moments when we need to keep away from them as well. For our own sanity.
Such an irony.
