Vast Solitude
To walk inside yourself and meet no one for hours – that is what you must be able to attain. – Rilke
My baby sister has been texting me a lot lately. She is only 19 and already she feels that the world is conspiring against her. She said friends have turned against her for being too opinionated, and sometimes she finds herself alone. She couldn’t bear to be alone, she needs people to exchange ideas with. Being by herself has gotten her depressed and, as young people are won’t to do, she prays that she’ll just vanish off the face of the earth.
Unfortunately there is very little I can do. I cannot do the thinking for her. This is her pupal stage, and she has to undergo this metamorphosis so she can emerge as a well-rounded and strong human being. The real problem is she’s only 19, and in college. It is that age that we declare ownership of the world’s knowledge. We believe we know everything. And sooner or later, something will happen to topple us off the pedestal that we have placed ourselves on.
And like most people, she has a problem coming to grasp with being alone, which she equates with loneliness. Perhaps she was being needy, I don’t know. Or maybe she just needs a boyfriend (I hope she gets herself one so that when that SOB breaks her heart, her four big brothers can have somebody to kick the crap out of). I just hope she doesn’t bite our teasing and actually fall for that balut vendor.
I tried to tell her to be at peace with herself. To try and go for lonesome walks and actually enjoy it. But she couldn’t; she’s been surrounded by her sibling all her life that being alone is an alien concept. I know someday she will learn this and while it breaks my heart to know that she’s lonely and hurting, it’s only through text messages and the occasional call that I can somehow manage to help her get through this phase.
*Big thanks to Raine for enlightening me on how to place a quote beneath the header image under the strict condition that she has to be credited for helping me out. 
