Author's Note: This story is a fictionalised account of real advice that has been meaningful to me

One day, I was sitting on a bench in a park near my house. I had just moved into this house, which was in a new city. I had no friends either in school or in my neighborhood. I was struggling with something which had never even crossed my mind. I was lonely. Staying in the same place all my life meant I never had to confront this visceral emotion. Now, I felt dissociated from the people around me, I needed a friend badly; I needed someone to talk to. 

There was a kid playing football alone who seemed a similar age to me, and I thought about approaching, but ultimately I decided against it as I felt I would just disturb him. Why would people want to talk to me? It was probably my low self-esteem talking, but I couldn’t shut off this inner voice. I would have let this voice speak for longer, but my inner monologue was cut short when a decently dressed man sat beside me.

I instinctively looked at him, and I was met with a warm smile that radiated kindness. He asked me if I needed someone to talk to. I thought for a moment and decided to confess it to a complete stranger. His smile grew wider, and he said, “Well, my hunch was right. I felt you were lonely.” Then he introduced himself, and he was a banker in his late twenties. He asked about me, my hobbies and ambitions. We talked a lot about movies, books and comics. I was thrilled to actually talk to someone. We talked for an hour, and abruptly he stood up and said he had to go home. 

Before going, he asked me why I was lonely to begin with, and I confessed everything to him. He sat back down and thought for a moment. The advice that came next is genuinely the best anyone has ever given me. He said, “The world is full of lonely people, scared of making the first move. They are all hoping that others initiate the first conversation; they are always hoping that people approach them. They are scared to approach others because, similar to you, they are afraid to invade their space, but trust me, no one wants loneliness. Everybody wants someone to talk to, just like you.” With that, he went on his way. 

Sitting there, I reflected on these words. Human connection is a necessity for not just me but all of humanity. We are all in this together. People might think from afar that by approaching me, they might just be intruding on my space, but only I am aware of my internal struggles. Maybe the kid playing football alone was also in need of a companion. Maybe he was also silently hoping for me to approach him. With that thought in mind, I stood up and walked towards him. Well, turns out, my hunch was right, and I made a new friend that day.