Please leave me alone.

I guess people are okay. There are some rather pretty boys out there just waiting to be kissed and lots of people who are adorable and silly and generous and comedic and light-hearted and make you feel happy to associate with them. 

But sometimes people just suck. Some people make it their business to oppress you, disrespect you, hurt you, etc. I look around sometimes and I just see...sadness. People hurting each other. Continually. When does it stop? 

Which got me thinking today, maybe it's a good idea to become a recluse. I mean, it's obviously weird and unnatural and mentally unhealthy. But what if such a radical life change actually brought you happiness? (ie. if you are someone like me, who just seems to feel like associating with other human beings, while nice, inevitably leads to trauma).

A recluse is someone who lives in almost or total solitude. The word 'recluse' derives from the Latin word 'recludere' which means to sequester, to isolate. There have been several famous individuals who have shunned the world in favour of a life of solitude: J. D Salinger (who of course wrote Franny and Zooey and The Catcher in the Rye), John Hughes (Writer/Director of classic 80s teen movies like Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club) and Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd singer; his retreat was allegedly the result of too much LSD). 

Think of the benefits: complete selfishness, freedom from any expectations, with the exception of those that emanate from yourself, the ability to dedicate endless hours of time to creative pursuits. If you don't have people in your life, then there is nobody who is capable of hurting you. 

On second thought, I think I'd rather stay attached to humanity. It just occurred to me that the life of a recluse does not include the possibility of being lovingly held. The prospect of even just a single passionate embrace is worth all the pain in the world.