Alone in Cyber Space

Longing for some type of life that included actual, living persons, I joined a dating site about 6 months ago. Since then I have removed my profile, put it back, removed it again. Dating at 61 - or 51 for that matter - seems to be insanity; yet I am so tired of living in isolation and having long conversations with my dogs. Not that I don't adore my dogs...

Of course, not being able to drive has limited my social interactions. I simply can't afford to pay Uber every time I want to go somewhere, so I sit at home a great deal of the time. I order things online that I could buy at a local store, but shipping is less costly than paying a cab or Uber. In short, I live the life that use to be science fiction on programs like the Twilight Zone and Star Trek.

There are so many others out here in cyber land that are living the same life...it's a sad commentary on what we have become as a society. People who really do live lives of quiet desperation, alone and lonely. Trying desperately to make a connection without leaving their computer desks.

And it's scary out there! Who really knows what or who is on the other side of their screens? After all, it is the perfect place to pretend to be something you're not; someone you'd like to be and lying is so easy! Who's going to know? Women and men walk a very fine line between their safety and taking the dangerous chance of meeting a stranger in person.No matter how long you've chatted, you really never know for sure what may walk through the door....

But loneliness is a hard land to live in. It can make you do stupid things, make dangerous decisions. Most people are fortunate and live - but we all know the stories of those who didn't make it. Who met the monster in sheep's clothing and where eaten by the wolf. 

So we must decide who's the wolf before the attack - and that means to really listen to your intuition and run when it starts to sound the alarm. We are so reluctant to listen, to offend someone that makes us uncomfortable, that we often do not listen to that small voice that tells us, "there's something not right here".

I always listen to that voice and it has saved me more than once...but, it is my nature to naturally distrust people. This little personality quirk has served me well - most of the time. Thankfully, the few times I didn't listen, the situation wasn't life and death and I've come away with just a heart broken.

Tell yourself and your friends to listen to that small voice...it can read signs you don't see.