Being Alive

Being Alive

The musical number “Being Alive” occurs at the end of Act II of the Steven Sondheim Broadway musical “Company”. It is sung by the main character, who after trying his hand at being alone, decides it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, and he decides that in order to be alive, one must take a chance on the joy, hardship, aggravation and frustration of having someone to love in life. The lyrics of the first verse are as follows:

“Someone to hold me too close. Someone to hurt me too deep. Someone to sit in my chair, To ruin my sleep, To make me aware of being alive. Being alive.”

Those of you , my loyal readers, who are in stable relationships, know exactly what this means. Many times your spouse or partner may drive you crazy, and even frustrate the hell out of you, right? But they are there, with you, suffering and celebrating the highs and lows of life with you, and those experiences are the definition of being alive.

It’s not just about taking the good with the bad, or whatever hackneyed expression you choose, it’s about the depth of those life experiences when you are with someone with whom you share true love. All life’s emotions only become truly real  and life affirming when they are shared with someone with whom you are in a committed relationship.

There are times in our lives when we feel like we’d rather be alone. Invariably those times result in disabling loneliness and we end up searching for human companionship. It turns out, we are not very good at piloting our lives without a co-pilot. But to venture into a life relationship that nurtures both individuals takes courage, patience, love, humility and humor. But isn’t that what makes relationships so great? Having someone to both laugh and cry with is crucial for a fulfilling life. In fact, it is the essence of “Being Alive”!

In health,

Dr. John Monaco

MONACO Wellness

www.monacowellness.org

(813)541-6440