Do you ever get lonely when you’re around people?
For me, this happens every once in a while. People will be physically close to me but mentally feel worlds apart. I yearn for a deeper connection with the people around me. Moving to a new city with new people, places, and experiences, I don’t feel as interconnected to this world as I once was. At home, I am accustomed to the world. The world knows me, and I know it. Home was a world where I was surrounded by company; however, this new world barely knows I exist, and I barely understand this world. I feel as though I am a star in an endless galaxy with millions of other stars close by. In this never-ending universe, the stars may appear close at a glance but are lightyears away from one another. This distance is real. I may know these people’s names, but I barely know where they come from or who they are. Classmates are simply classmates. Coworkers stay coworkers. Neighbors are just neighbors. Strangers remain strangers. I wish they could become more to me than just that. Regardless of my longing, it is important to note that this is just a part of growing up: accepting that people come and go within our lifetimes. The passing of people should be met with grace and humility, not with self-resentment.
Be glad that you had the opportunity to meet them, and then set them adrift.
The Bolt Magazine 