I've been wanting to respond, but I've been having trouble organizing my thoughts lately (busy at work, writer's block, etc.) and this is a subject I've struggled with for awhile. But I did want to say how much I related to this post and how it has my thinking and mulling over a post of my own. 

Violet mentioned the difference between "alone" and "lonely" and that's something I've always thought about as well. I know, technically, that I'm not alone because I have family and friends. But since I have spent most of my adult life "alone," it can be very lonely.