My Response to Beccas post...

Ironically, today I was thinking about how uncommon it is for people to talk about loneliness when it is such a common thing. I'm not sure I understand it, though I along with many others, am not proud to admit to finding myself feeling lonely on more than one occasion. Are we embarrassed to admit feeling alone? Maybe it's one of those, "if I talk about it, then it's real" kind of things. What is also interesting to me is how differently people respond to feeling lonely. Some people drink, others do drugs, others look for someone to be physically close with, (when perhaps it's not a physical closeness we need at all)  Becca takes pictures and I dream of Yosemite, Hueco, Arkansas or past travels in general.

Michigan winters are lonely. Cold, wet and restrictive. I am surrounded by a beautiful family and Oliver (my ferret) who is my best fiend, first mate, and a great cuddle buddy. All things considered, I still feel lonely at times. I think loneliness is a highly misunderstood emotion. If people knew exactly what it is that we are lacking, making us feel so lonely, we would have fewer issues with substance abuse, in my opinion. Loneliness is often mistook for needing to feel loved, or have a companion. So many times I have seen people in undesirable relationships just to keep from feeling lonely, when truth is, we still feel lonely.

It's just a hole, something missing, an indistinct void. It takes a wise person or a wise moment to be able to identify just what it is we feel we are missing out on. I've been unable to to travel lately, and because of that I have been feeling more and more lonely, especially being restricted by this Michigan weather. Becca, you are a wise woman to know just what it is that will fill you up. Follow your heart. I will do what ever I can to encourage you to find a way to use your photography to do so, and I hope you know you and your photography are encouraging to me.