Despite feeling too emotionally numb to cry, tears ran from the corners of his warped glasses. But his internal discomfort paled in comparison to his physical.
Boslugu Doldurmak
To cope with these feelings of loneliness, worry, and alienation, some of us fill our calendars with social events and our phones with mobile communication apps to help us feel more connected to oth- ers. Or, we may throw ourselves into our work to combat our sense of isolation, or escape into yet another Netflix show or social media rabbit hole. We may make small adjustments, like leaving a radio or TV on at home all day to keep us company, or big ones, like chasing personal and professional accomplishments to fill the void when others let us down.
But often, these solutions miss the mark. We can be in a room full of people and still feel utterly alone. We can spend all day on Zoom video calls or sending WhatsApp messages and end up feel- ing more disconnected than when we started. Investing our energy in getting that next promotion may make us feel impressive, but no number of accolades can make us feel truly heard. And while pour- ing ourselves into busywork, giving in to vices, or succumbing to mindless scrolling online may numb our experience, such strate- gies won't actually improve it. Hardly anyone would claim to have happy, meaningful relationships as a result of these tactics, because they don't address the real issue.
That's because the root cause of these feelings runs deeper than we may realize or want to admit as social beings, each of us holds within us an eternal yearning for connection and a deep desire to be heard.
Sayfa 294Kitabı okudu
If I’m numb, I won’t feel the sharp edges digging into my heart. If I’m numb, I won’t hate a dead woman because she still lives through me. Because she’s still alive for Adrian while I don’t exist.
I pushed between James and Wren, and the vast expanse of the lake opened up in front of me, mist blurring the lines of the banks. Tiny ripples murmured around a grotesque pale shape, partly submerged where the water should have been glassy and smooth. Richard floated on his back, neck twisted unnaturally, mouth gaping, face frozen in a Greek mask of agony. Blood crawled dark and sticky across his face from the crush of tissue and bone that used to be an eye socket, a cheekbone—now cracked and broken open like an eggshell.
We stood numb and silent on the dock as the earth ceased to turn. A terrible stillness held our six warm breathing bodies and Richard—unmoving, inanimate thing—in the same unbreakable thrall. Then there was a sound, a soft groan; Richard stretched one hand feebly toward us, and the whole world lurched. Wren stifled a scream and James grabbed my arm.
“Oh, God.” He choked on the word. “He’s still alive.”
Act 2, Scene 10Kitabı okudu
