1. Loneliness is inevitable

Loneliness is an inevitable part of being a sensitive, intelligent, complex human being. Many aspects of our inner selves are too odd, contrary, subtle or alarming to be easily revealed to anyone else. We face a choice between honesty and acceptability: most — understandably — choose the latter.

2. Total sympathy is impossible

It is deeply unlikely that we will ever find someone on exactly the same page of the soul as us. We will long for utter congruity, but there will be constant dissonance, since whoever we meet will be the product of different families, locations and experiences; they will just not be made of quite the same fabric.

3. Loneliness builds character

Loneliness makes us more capable of true intimacy if ever better opportunities do come along. It heightens the conversations we have with ourselves: it gives us a character, and helps us develop a truly unique point of view. We might be isolated for now, but we’ll be capable of far closer, more interesting bonds with those we do eventually locate.

4. The best people are lonely

Loneliness is a sign of depth. It suggests there’s more about us to understand than the normal patterns of social intercourse can accommodate — which is something to take pride in. Lonely, we enter a long and grand tradition — we find ourselves (surprisingly) in great company.

5. Loneliness is better than false friendship

Enduring loneliness is almost invariably better than suffering the compromises of false community. Loneliness is simply a price we may have to pay for holding on to a sincere, ambitious view of what companionship must and could be.