h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Are we defined by our relationships? Many anthropologists have said that humans are sociable creatures. Do we really need other people to live? It's easy to sit in the luxury of friends and family close at hand and say, "Yeah, I'd love to be on my own."

I say, "Bull!" Even when we try to be "alone" we define that aloneness by our relationships with people. They may not be physically there at that moment but they are there. When people say, "I'd love to be alone!" I think they really mean they'd love to be away from the people around them at that moment. We think of ourselves, on some level, as someone's friend/uncle/sister/child/cousin/parent/lover/spouse. There's no escaping it. I've seen a "Twilight Zone" episode where a pilot wakes up to discover he's alone on the planet. He goes mad. Absolutely bonkers!!! We need people to show us where we are.

Tom Hanks, "Castaway."

In that movie, the character compensated for his aloneness, or lack of human contact, by creating the person of "Wilson." He made another person. Yeah, it was a volleyball with coconut hair but it was very real to him. Even if that person was a manifestation of an aspect of himself, It still served the purpose of being someone else.

We really are defined by others. Think about it. You'll always have more respect for someone who has been talked up by others than someone who does all the talking about him/herself. Nobody loves a bragger but we give a lot of weight to the opinions of others. If you don't have these others around to define you, who are you, really?

I love time to myself but I really hate being alone. I think that the knowledge that I'll see someone at some point makes my "alone time" so much more valuable. When It comes down to it, I hate being away from my people.

These people are so valuable and so critical. I don't ever want to take people for granted. It's easy to do, then I think of day to day life without someone and I get sick. I tell myself, "Don't take ANYONE for granted." I suppose that's the worst thing you can do to someone.

People are so frail and easily broken. "Poof!" They're gone! Never forget that.