I was once told that loneliness was a virtue,
a gift,
the only way to prevent the pain of misguided company
and company that always departs
I was once told to protect myself,
build up walls and set up guards
I did
I was once told that this is the only way to prevent suffering,
it wasn't until I built up walls and set up guards that fought off misguided conversations and departing company
that I realized they were wrong