Missing Persons

What would you do if you lost a loved one in your life?

Well let’s define the word lost. Has the person deceased? Has your relationship broken down or have you literally lost somebody?

There are people out there who have lost loved ones through death. Some people go on with their lives and manage to process their grief over time. Others are not so unfortunate. Does the circumstance of their death matter? Of course it does. There’s a big difference from somebody who had been murdered and died suddenly in comparison to another with a terminal illness who has slowly slips away over a period of time. There are also other factors that come into play, such as how the nature of your relationship to the person. Some people can live their whole life with regrets. Some people can never deal with the loss of a person who they loved dearly.

What about losing somebody through the breakdown of a relationship? There’s always that favourite cliché people seem to throw about easily, “Life goes on”. Some can accept the fact, move on and re-establish themselves in other relationships that may be more rewarding and lasting whilst others may dwell on past memories and struggle to overcome their disengagement. Love can be blissful in the eyes of the beloved but ignorant in the eyes of the forgotten. It could be a blessing in disguise or a hindrance in troubled waters.

And finally, if you find that you have physically lost a loved one, for example in a crowded market area, in a kidnapping, or even at sea, then I would strongly urge you to contact your local authorities. If they appear to missing over a period of 24 to 48 hours then you will surely be filling out a missing persons’ report form.

The Feel Good Factor

For me there’s no greater pleasure in life than human interaction. For the first in a long time, I felt fairly comfortable sitting in a room with strangers and interacting with them on so many levels. I was at ease in asserting myself in moments of silence and awkwardness as well orchestrating topical discussion. I felt comfortable making a few jokes and was able to speak openly about some of my dilemmas. It’s very different from sitting behind a computer screen and trying to communicate with another person online because you never know if you have their full attention or if they are even interested in responding to you.

Despite the nature of this meeting, I came out feeling positive about myself and it showed throughout the evening as my confidence grew with every word I uttered. I suspect that a cup of coffee in the interval helped proceedings as well.

So that’s what it feels like, that feeling of energy and enthusiasm that comes with interacting in a social environment. My obsessive nature knows that I need, crave and long to possess its everlasting sources. I hope that my endeavours will lead me to its boundless beginnings.

Thank you for reading and I hope you find your feel-good factor should it ever become misplaced.