We crave our solitude, yet it saddens us to be alone. We love the company of the people around us, but our time alone is scared. We spend that time with our thoughts, constantly dreaming and wandering to old memories. The relationships that we do have are special. When we let someone in, we really do it. We let those certain people into our space and those who choose to stay in it, have learned how to understand us, or maybe are like us themselves. Family is more important because we are the only children – the only ones they look after, teach, and love. That attention is what creates our connections with the people we love.
Starting college was a whirlwind of fears and excitement. Roommates, first of all. We are used to our own rooms, our clothes scattered everywhere, makeup sitting on the bathroom counter, pictures hung across every wall. Our rooms are our self-zones. But in college you have to live with another person! One you don’t even know! For the only child, our space, our privacy and our alone time are all taken away.
Though it is new and scary, it is good for us. We gain new connections and social skills. We learn that we cannot be selfish anymore. Not everything is ours. We must learn to share. That is such an important life lesson. We are now always surrounded by people. These are the brothers and sisters we never had. And we have no choice but to let them in, but letting them in means sharing our world with them, and getting to know theirs as well. And it is beautiful.