What does it mean if you're never lonely? If you simply do not experience loneliness throughout your life, regardless of how much time you spend alone? I've heard and read about other people being plagued by this feeling, including those near and dear to me (but NOT my parents or brothers). It seems to have skipped my family.

My wife feels lonely from time to time. Unfortunately, however, it's just not something I can help her on or relate to in any way. I feel colorblind in this respect. I've always all my life been perfectly happy to be alone, and it never palls. I read about how, in prisons, people go insane after being put into solitary confinement. I simply can't relate to that. I think I could do such a thing, as they say, "standing on my head."

What does loneliness really mean? Not the "feeling" of loneliness, but its psychological significance? If people later on in life feel lonely, what does that say about their early childhood? What did they have then that they don't have later? And what's a "normal" person's feeling about loneliness? When is it pathological?

Can't say very much more. I'm stumped about this. Hope you'll all pitch in and have a discussion about loneliness. Take care!