The bouquet of yellow roses wrapped in plastic faced the floor as the man attached to the dozen flowers stood in rapt attention to the football game on television. A male relation said something to him and he tore his attention away from the screen. People were crowded about them with some in movement and some still as they checked their phones or frantically searched the crowds for a familiar face. Not far away, the rumble of an air plane taking off sent small shivers through the floor of the building. Still the man waited with his yellow roses and his television screen.
In a small college dorm, a cell phone crooned a tune from the 1940s. A confused student glanced at the caller I.D. and groaned, “Why is she calling?” With a begrudging sigh, the student answered cheerfully, “Hello?” To her chagrin, the voice answered, “Wanna hang out?” That was the last thing that this particular college student wanted. Carefully, she maneuvered her way out of hanging out with the voice on the other side of the cell phone. Excuses leapt to her lips. As soon as the conversation ended, the student held her cell phone in her hand and felt guilty.
No one wants to be alone. In college, this is reflected in the mad dash for marriage and companionship. Even amongst friends, one can feel totally alone. No one understands. With dexterity of mind, we buy into the ideas that we are alone in this world with no one caring or wanting to know about our lives. Isolated by our very own will, we blame everyone else for their failure to care. Fingers are pointed. Before long, the loneliness of the entire human population is unveiled. The best thing about loneliness is that it makes everyone feels as though they are the only lonely person. However, this lonely person is probably sitting right next to a person who is equally as lonely.
