Rinse and Repeat

I love people. I have met and known some extraordinary characters over the years. (And I'm just getting started.) But various events occur (and recur in different guises) with relentless predictability to remind us that people are temporary.

Compounding that difficulty, people tend to approach slowly but depart quickly. I enjoy the approach with a sort of growing, smiley feeling but the departure is usually abrupt and always horrifying.

Ways to avoid the problem:

• Drink a lot. Meet extraordinary characters and behave dangerously around them to make sure they never call.
• Stay home. Unplug the phone and watch Netflix. Remain civil and outwardly friendly to coworkers but save your best self for your lonely inner dialogue.
• Use non-humans as surrogate friends. (Emo. Celebrities. Porn.)
• Ignore everyone. Save your energy for conversations with the people inside your head.
• Be overly critical. Remind people of your negative evaluations of others. Make sure no one is worthy of your love.
• Fall in love with a shallow and sarcastic jackass and then dump your friends because they're not stylish enough for him/her. Then fall out of love before something really bad happens.

Or don't avoid 'the problem.' Embrace it. Enjoy everyone and then cry a lot later. And keep crying and enjoying until you're dead.

Personally, I hate crying. But it seems like the least painful option. It's been working for me so far.