One of the best articles I've ever read about mindfulness

George Orwell once said:

The deepest loneliness is not when you are alone, but when you are not understood. When you are surrounded by people, but no one sees who you really are. No one hears your true voice, no one senses your being. In this loneliness you slowly feel as if you are disappearing, as if you are becoming fainter and fainter, until finally you are just a shadow - a memory of yourself.

This is the kind of loneliness that hurts the most. When you're surrounded by friends, family, and coworkers, but you're invisible. You smile, you nod, you do what's expected, but something inside is empty. It's as if the world only notices the version of you that fits in the box - while the truest parts of you remain hidden.

This loneliness is not about the lack of people, but about the lack of connection. You long for someone to see you – to really see you. To understand your inner world, your quirks, your dreams, your depths. But when they don’t, it’s like a glass wall separating you from everything. You scream, but no one hears. They look at you, but they don’t really see you.

And then a question starts to arise in you: Should you change? Should you become what the world expects you to be, just to be accepted? But even if you try, the loneliness doesn't go away. It only deepens. Because the greatest loss is not when others don't understand you - it's when you lose who you really are in the process. When you lower your own voice to fit in. When you disappear.

The most painful thing about all of this is not just the desire for love. It's for someone to really see you, your imperfections, your messiness, your vulnerability—and say, "I see you. I understand you. I'm here." For someone to see beyond the surface, but what's beneath.

But in this loneliness, there is a quiet strength. Because it's not how many people understand you that matters, it's that you don't give up on yourself. That you don't let the world's misunderstanding extinguish your fire. That you keep your light on even when no one notices. Because your uniqueness, your authenticity, your being - that's what makes you special. And there will be those who will see that. But until they find you, you can appreciate that for yourself.

Sometimes the path that leads through misunderstanding gives you a deeper understanding of yourself. It teaches you to accept yourself, even when the world doesn't. It shows you that loneliness is not a loss, but an opportunity to get closer to who you really are. And maybe you'll suddenly realize: true connections come when you least expect them.

So hang in there. Be who you are. Don't become a shadow - even if you have to be alone for a while. Your being deserves to exist. And when the people who truly understand and see you arrive, you'll realize: you never should have hidden yourself. You were born to shine all along.