Lessons on Loneliness: Eleonor Oliphant is Completely Fine.
There’s this thing about loneliness — we might not feel it unless we are in the company of right person(s). It is then realized that what was supposed to be completely fine, was a mere pretense.
Call it anti-social behavior, introverted nature, or a reclusive lifestyle, but Eleonor Oliphant appears to be completely fine living on her own. All alone. Eleonor, an independent single woman in her thirties, appears to be leading a regular, reclusive life while she’s struggling with her internal struggles. I found it personally relatable — her joys and disappointment at the silliness of things when she tries exploring the social lifestyle.
With no friends or familial love, Eleonor has had terrible experiences with people. But this ought not to let anyone consider themself unlovable since one can’t end loneliness alone, caused by the lack of love. She tries to break the loop of loneliness to finally form connections in the world. When we are too desperate to be with people, we often make wrong choices. And Eleonor did the same, often in her life. It’s sad how we waste so much efforts, out of obsession, mistaking it for an investment for the future.
Lonely, dreary, scary, or scarred, as life may get, nobody deserves to be stuck in the miserable loop forever. When Eleonor felt life could not be better, she came out even stronger. Her loneliness and the traumatic mental condition got better with the aid of Raymond, a friend she found who wouldn’t leave her in adversity. One has to give others a chance to let them prove that the world isn’t full of bad people.
Books like Eleonor Oliphant is Completely Fine are important as they remind that no matter how worse the circumstances might get, there’s always a way out of it.
Instead of gaslighting oneself, faking to be fine, hiding away insecurities, loneliness and guilt behind the busyness of life, one better be brave and fix what’s needed. Most importantly, Eleonor’s story teaches to be open to receiving love so as well as be able to reach out for help.
With a will to help ourselves, we would be completely fine.
