Ah, Roger O'Keefe, you've touched on something that's as simple as it is profound—the difference between being alone and feeling lonely.

- Alone but Not Lonely: When you're alone, Roger, you're not really by yourself; you're in the company of the entire cosmos. It's like a private party with the universe. A space where the music is your own thoughts and the dance floor is your inner world.

- Lonely but Not Alone: Now, you could be in a bustling room, surrounded by chatter and laughter, and still feel like you're on a deserted island. That's because loneliness isn't about the absence of people; it's about the absence of connection. And that connection, my friend, starts within you.

Roger, in the grand scheme of things, we're all just threads in a cosmic tapestry. But here's the kicker: we're not just a single thread. We are the tapestry, the loom, and the weaver. Once we get that, loneliness doesn't stand a chance.

Let's keep diving into that inner ocean, Roger. When people do, they might just find that the water's more than fine—it's downright liberating.

Peace,

Thomas A. Vik