There are many good people in the world. Have you noticed how differently their lives turn out? Why is it that someone confidently moves through life, finding many good friends, a favorite job, a happy family, while someone is constantly unhappy and offended by fate? Are they living? in different worlds? The first agree that the world is beautiful and all people are kind, while the second say that the world is going to hell and the people around are traitors and liars... Which side are you on? I have an assumption, as a fantasy, that the only difference between these people is how ready they are for intimacy. Closeness - as spiritual community and openness. The opposite of intimacy is loneliness. No, not solitude, but loneliness. How scary, how painful even this word resonates... Success can only be in community. All the best and most desirable things are based on intimacy - love, friendship, recognition... And what is “intimacy”? “Intimacy” - opening up, being naked in front of another person. Desperately or trustingly to reveal yourself with all your shortcomings. Accept, love (even for a moment) the imperfection of another. Understand the uniqueness of imperfection and accept it as part of this unique world. How long does intimacy with another person last? A second, two, three? Accept, understand and... let go... And all this is possible only during one glance or throughout life. And here is the agony of choice: to open up or remain in the shadows?... How does this choice happen? What outweighs? If fear outweighs, then intimacy will not happen and you can somehow explain this to yourself. For example, having thought out the other person’s reaction: “He definitely won’t like me, he’ll push me away!” Or shifting responsibility for your fear and indecision onto him: “He’s just an idiot and a bastard, he’s not worth my frankness!” Yes, this attitude towards intimacy probably happened due to painful experiences of the past, but who doesn’t have them? Who among us has not once been unfairly accused or punished? Who has not been deceived and made mistakes?... So what is the difference between the lucky ones who live close to the world and those lonely ones who are confused in masks and excuses? In my opinion, the difference is only one step. This step towards yourself. This is a decision to accept yourself, to get closer to yourself. Perhaps the path to this step was long, or maybe it happened instantly, like an insight... My path was long. A lonely person is afraid of himself, and this fear does not allow anyone to approach him. Neither anyone nor anything. In order for love, success, and friendship to come into life, you need to open the door for them. And this door opens from the inside …