You do have a point. The practice of radical acceptance is a choice which may be what I am choosing to do with this time in my loneliness. Which keeps me from being lonely. Play on words I guess. I probably subconsciously chose to be here at this time as nothing happens without a reason. Cause and effect
I didn't go out of the house, or see anyone for two years, due to health issues [physical & mental]. Then I heard a song called "Get Your Shit Together". Long story short: On February 22nd 2020 I travelled 180+ miles to Plymouth [UK] using trains & taxis. I was on my own & in my wheelchair. I went because I wanted to thank, face-to-face, the woman that literally saved my life with a song ..... I got to do just that.
I made the padlock choker necklace Beth is wearing in the video above
WoW! You are an amazing human being. Your substack with Beth inspired me to write today and at the last minute included a song that resonated with me and my words spoken in the post. Every day I see how truly awesome life and human beings are. This time was meant for me to heal and you have become a part of my journey. Warmest Regards
I feel honoured to be at the start of your adventure, thank you.
Have you heard of Chantel McGregor? If not, she’s a friend of Bonamassa & Joanne Shaw Taylor [& a bloody good guitarist]. Below is a quick chattette I had with her last year.
If you go to the last 7:40 of it - Chantel sent me that to add as the outro. For full effect, use headphones …… Turn it up & close your eyes 🙏
Thank you. and thank you for thinking of me. Have not heard of Chantel. I will listen tonight when all is quiet with my headphones. Totally Awesome! goosebumps :-)
I prefer not to use the word "lonely" because self-isolation accurately describes what we experience. Consider it a necessary step towards regaining meaning, self-awareness, and acceptance. To me, loneliness has connotations of victimhood, while what you're doing is having the courage to practice radical acceptance. Keep moving forward, create all the scary sounds you want, and have a good laugh.
Yes, exactly. Becoming a recluse isn’t a choice: it’s an outcome. It emerges as a survival instinct, a response to experiences that pushed the mind and body into retreat. It’s not a conscious decision like “I prefer to be alone” - it’s a deep, instinctual need to shield what remains after everything has been stripped away.
And at the same time… it feels natural. When you’ve walked through the jungle, when you’ve survived the storm, you don’t sit in the battlefield waiting for another strike. You move. You disappear. You find a place where nothing and no one can touch you. In that sense, isolation isn’t a punishment: it’s a response to survival.
But the problem is, what starts as a sanctuary can turn into a prison. At some point, you no longer know whether you’re still here because it feels safe or because you’ve lost the ability to leave. And that’s the real question: am I free, or am I trapped?
That’s the thin line. Withdrawing is natural, but staying there too long can become a state of non-living, a quiet fading into nothingness. Can you ever truly come back? How? If you’ve lived too long in the jungle, civilization feels unnatural. If you’ve been in silence too long, the noise of the world is deafening.
So how do one return? And more importantly - should one return, or is there another kind of freedom, one that doesn’t require either escape or captivity?
Love your response to my reclusive life at this time.
There is/was no doubt many reasons why I am here. I need this time to heal the many issues that have piled up over the years. It has been painful and wonderful at the same time. Every day seems to bring me new insights. The mind can run havoc and placed me in a postion of self doubt, worthlessness, and many self degrading self hatred thinking. Getting back up and out of the mind is really hard, but time alone is proving to be healthy for me.
Many reasons have gotten me here, but only one can get me out. That is a whole change of mindset. Not believing the mind and giving trust to my soul to lead me on the rest of my life’s journey. Substack has been an integral part in helping me to find myself and to most importantly make me realize that I am not alone in this world. We are all suffering and we all need to find out own path.
Is there another kind of freedom? Yes, I believe there is. I am close to the end. I know it. I feel it and am so grateful for people like you who hold my hand in this journey.
Being a recluse was not a choice. My body and mind screamed for it and in return, I will get my life back.
I see you. I hear you. You’re not the only one living life alone watching the world live alive from the sanctuary of isolation in a self-imposed prison of our own making - your marvelous mind isn’t aware of the walls nor has your heart ever been more open to listen to the sound of its own rhythm and cadence that beats in time without fear - the calm before the thunderous cacophony that is waiting to be written by the newest iteration in your voice singing with the lyrics of your choice - a symphony still silent - your masterpiece must emerge. 💜
you are right. I am not the only one although at times it surely feels that way. Sometimes life just plucks us down where we need to be. The trick I guess is what to do with this time we have been given. I truly believe there is a reason for everything and that this too shall pass
Also, you were chosen because you were so special. It made no sense to me at first because we would never intentionally hurt someone we held in such high regard - but a soulless, self-righteous, lying sack of shit sought you out specifically for your status as supply - it was your goodness that made you so desirable - it’s simply sickening to speak their language because it’s so deeply saddening to know they don’t understand how you can genuinely connect with others so easily without having any agenda - something so easy for you because you’re not concerned about your image or your facade of being seen as a hero or something equally as ridiculous in retrospect - you gave an identity that was so important until it became obvious that you were human and not just a pretty face - they’re that small and deeply flawed - dead inside - jealous of your gifts that slowly become coveted instead of admired because it’s a competition in their minds - it’s only real to them - and they can’t even make the connection that it’s a THEM cycle of life - they are cleverly clueless about the pattern that lacks any sense of self awareness or growth of self knowledge - they know they’re bad and they don’t intend to change. They just destroy your entire existence and you are stunned in total disbelief because it doesn’t make sense. What just happened??
It doesn’t make sense to us because we had to practically write our PhD dissertation in dark psychology (I don’t think it is a thing but what do you even call it??) to explain how incredibly crazy and super sick their logic truly is.
No no! It’s not that you’re wrong to feel as though you’re completely alone - it’s because I am here too! I hate that you’re feeling this way because no one should feel like I do!! It’s embarrassing to admit at my age because I should have known better - but these people just walk around like looking like the rest of us but they’re pretending - manipulation is their only means - they don’t know how live a life without the lies because they’re devoid of humanity - they’re essentially dead. WOW - that’s some revelation for me too!!
They’re just dead. You’re absolutely amazing and alive with compassion and kindness and creativity!! You are alive and worthy of all the happiness I could possibly write for you - but I think you’re a much better choice for your own comeback story.
Your kindness and understanding is shining through. At age 71 - I left my husband of 11 years last May. I felt invisible and more than that, I could not fake it anymore. I was not content. I felt used and misunderstood. I came home to my family that I had minimal communication with for 50 years and found no solice here. Now I found a quiet place and am working on my dark shadow and trying to find meaning and direction in my life. You are correct. Most around me are faking it. Pretending that all will go back to normal. They refuse to even contemplate any kind of agenda that is unfolding right before our eyes. I do not know the next chapter in my life, but I do know that will wonderful beings like you, I will move forward. Never thought about my own comeback story..... That gives me hope and I thank you immensely for that
DM me anytime or sometime or never or maybe if you’re in need of a safe space for venting - I understand the family that doesn’t accept you because you are not one of them - that’s a wonderful thing!! It didn’t feel like it growing up or through the years of being distressed over your inability to earn their acceptance because it love was something we had to earn - whatever semblance of connection was lacking in your adulthood - years lost spent trying to somehow garner the approval of the people who would rather see you suffer and lent legitimacy to the smear campaign of total destruction…my family was complicit…I was different. I was just different. I am different. You’re different too. Different people are independent of our family of origin - we frighten them by simply existing.
So, you’ve got to stick around to make sure those assholes tremble in fear just knowing you’re still in race for the title of winning the championship of the invisible competition in their minds…Did you hear that?! WTF?! How could we listen to these imbeciles?!
You do have a point. The practice of radical acceptance is a choice which may be what I am choosing to do with this time in my loneliness. Which keeps me from being lonely. Play on words I guess. I probably subconsciously chose to be here at this time as nothing happens without a reason. Cause and effect
I didn't go out of the house, or see anyone for two years, due to health issues [physical & mental]. Then I heard a song called "Get Your Shit Together". Long story short: On February 22nd 2020 I travelled 180+ miles to Plymouth [UK] using trains & taxis. I was on my own & in my wheelchair. I went because I wanted to thank, face-to-face, the woman that literally saved my life with a song ..... I got to do just that.
I made the padlock choker necklace Beth is wearing in the video above
WoW! You are an amazing human being. Your substack with Beth inspired me to write today and at the last minute included a song that resonated with me and my words spoken in the post. Every day I see how truly awesome life and human beings are. This time was meant for me to heal and you have become a part of my journey. Warmest Regards
I feel honoured to be at the start of your adventure, thank you.
Have you heard of Chantel McGregor? If not, she’s a friend of Bonamassa & Joanne Shaw Taylor [& a bloody good guitarist]. Below is a quick chattette I had with her last year.
If you go to the last 7:40 of it - Chantel sent me that to add as the outro. For full effect, use headphones …… Turn it up & close your eyes 🙏
Enjoy the journey 🙏
https://open.substack.com/pub/revtina/p/the-snug-episode-2-apple-crumble
Thank you. and thank you for thinking of me. Have not heard of Chantel. I will listen tonight when all is quiet with my headphones. Totally Awesome! goosebumps :-)
I prefer not to use the word "lonely" because self-isolation accurately describes what we experience. Consider it a necessary step towards regaining meaning, self-awareness, and acceptance. To me, loneliness has connotations of victimhood, while what you're doing is having the courage to practice radical acceptance. Keep moving forward, create all the scary sounds you want, and have a good laugh.
Yes, exactly. Becoming a recluse isn’t a choice: it’s an outcome. It emerges as a survival instinct, a response to experiences that pushed the mind and body into retreat. It’s not a conscious decision like “I prefer to be alone” - it’s a deep, instinctual need to shield what remains after everything has been stripped away.
And at the same time… it feels natural. When you’ve walked through the jungle, when you’ve survived the storm, you don’t sit in the battlefield waiting for another strike. You move. You disappear. You find a place where nothing and no one can touch you. In that sense, isolation isn’t a punishment: it’s a response to survival.
But the problem is, what starts as a sanctuary can turn into a prison. At some point, you no longer know whether you’re still here because it feels safe or because you’ve lost the ability to leave. And that’s the real question: am I free, or am I trapped?
That’s the thin line. Withdrawing is natural, but staying there too long can become a state of non-living, a quiet fading into nothingness. Can you ever truly come back? How? If you’ve lived too long in the jungle, civilization feels unnatural. If you’ve been in silence too long, the noise of the world is deafening.
So how do one return? And more importantly - should one return, or is there another kind of freedom, one that doesn’t require either escape or captivity?
Love your response to my reclusive life at this time.
There is/was no doubt many reasons why I am here. I need this time to heal the many issues that have piled up over the years. It has been painful and wonderful at the same time. Every day seems to bring me new insights. The mind can run havoc and placed me in a postion of self doubt, worthlessness, and many self degrading self hatred thinking. Getting back up and out of the mind is really hard, but time alone is proving to be healthy for me.
Many reasons have gotten me here, but only one can get me out. That is a whole change of mindset. Not believing the mind and giving trust to my soul to lead me on the rest of my life’s journey. Substack has been an integral part in helping me to find myself and to most importantly make me realize that I am not alone in this world. We are all suffering and we all need to find out own path.
Is there another kind of freedom? Yes, I believe there is. I am close to the end. I know it. I feel it and am so grateful for people like you who hold my hand in this journey.
Being a recluse was not a choice. My body and mind screamed for it and in return, I will get my life back.
More are reclusive without ever having chosen that.
I see you. I hear you. You’re not the only one living life alone watching the world live alive from the sanctuary of isolation in a self-imposed prison of our own making - your marvelous mind isn’t aware of the walls nor has your heart ever been more open to listen to the sound of its own rhythm and cadence that beats in time without fear - the calm before the thunderous cacophony that is waiting to be written by the newest iteration in your voice singing with the lyrics of your choice - a symphony still silent - your masterpiece must emerge. 💜
you are right. I am not the only one although at times it surely feels that way. Sometimes life just plucks us down where we need to be. The trick I guess is what to do with this time we have been given. I truly believe there is a reason for everything and that this too shall pass
Also, you were chosen because you were so special. It made no sense to me at first because we would never intentionally hurt someone we held in such high regard - but a soulless, self-righteous, lying sack of shit sought you out specifically for your status as supply - it was your goodness that made you so desirable - it’s simply sickening to speak their language because it’s so deeply saddening to know they don’t understand how you can genuinely connect with others so easily without having any agenda - something so easy for you because you’re not concerned about your image or your facade of being seen as a hero or something equally as ridiculous in retrospect - you gave an identity that was so important until it became obvious that you were human and not just a pretty face - they’re that small and deeply flawed - dead inside - jealous of your gifts that slowly become coveted instead of admired because it’s a competition in their minds - it’s only real to them - and they can’t even make the connection that it’s a THEM cycle of life - they are cleverly clueless about the pattern that lacks any sense of self awareness or growth of self knowledge - they know they’re bad and they don’t intend to change. They just destroy your entire existence and you are stunned in total disbelief because it doesn’t make sense. What just happened??
It doesn’t make sense to us because we had to practically write our PhD dissertation in dark psychology (I don’t think it is a thing but what do you even call it??) to explain how incredibly crazy and super sick their logic truly is.
So much to unpack here. Thank you for taking the time and your honesty.
I do like the idea of a PhD dissertation in dark psychology.
Will meditate on your words and insight
to be continued
No no! It’s not that you’re wrong to feel as though you’re completely alone - it’s because I am here too! I hate that you’re feeling this way because no one should feel like I do!! It’s embarrassing to admit at my age because I should have known better - but these people just walk around like looking like the rest of us but they’re pretending - manipulation is their only means - they don’t know how live a life without the lies because they’re devoid of humanity - they’re essentially dead. WOW - that’s some revelation for me too!!
They’re just dead. You’re absolutely amazing and alive with compassion and kindness and creativity!! You are alive and worthy of all the happiness I could possibly write for you - but I think you’re a much better choice for your own comeback story.
Your kindness and understanding is shining through. At age 71 - I left my husband of 11 years last May. I felt invisible and more than that, I could not fake it anymore. I was not content. I felt used and misunderstood. I came home to my family that I had minimal communication with for 50 years and found no solice here. Now I found a quiet place and am working on my dark shadow and trying to find meaning and direction in my life. You are correct. Most around me are faking it. Pretending that all will go back to normal. They refuse to even contemplate any kind of agenda that is unfolding right before our eyes. I do not know the next chapter in my life, but I do know that will wonderful beings like you, I will move forward. Never thought about my own comeback story..... That gives me hope and I thank you immensely for that
Warmest Regards
DM me anytime or sometime or never or maybe if you’re in need of a safe space for venting - I understand the family that doesn’t accept you because you are not one of them - that’s a wonderful thing!! It didn’t feel like it growing up or through the years of being distressed over your inability to earn their acceptance because it love was something we had to earn - whatever semblance of connection was lacking in your adulthood - years lost spent trying to somehow garner the approval of the people who would rather see you suffer and lent legitimacy to the smear campaign of total destruction…my family was complicit…I was different. I was just different. I am different. You’re different too. Different people are independent of our family of origin - we frighten them by simply existing.
So, you’ve got to stick around to make sure those assholes tremble in fear just knowing you’re still in race for the title of winning the championship of the invisible competition in their minds…Did you hear that?! WTF?! How could we listen to these imbeciles?!