I never heard anyone who truly experienced being alone, not receiving help, and having to do it all by themselves say that life is meant to be lived that way.
I did however hear many others say things like these to me - as if they were offering pearls of wisdom:
- We are always fundamentally alone
- You can never truly rely on someone else
- You can rely only on yourself
- Money is what counts: how else are you going to take care of yourself?
Etc. etc. etc.
Get to know them a little bit deeper, and without fail, these people had all received some help: they had inherited property, or had loving parents/family who cheered them through college, internships, and entry-level jobs, or had an older and wiser person (a relative, a teacher) they could turn to for advice, or they had the luck to find employers who encouraged them in their career advancement, or had loving friends, and so on.
If you meet someone who truly had to go it alone, they are most likely than not to say how much they suffered because of it. As a consequence, they often become more giving, and want to make others feel less alone. Because they know we all need each other.
The message that you can or should only rely on yourself is a symptom of the messenger's deep loss of Soul. At the very least, it's a sign of their inability to recognize and be grateful for the gifts they have been given.
People who repeat such "truths" are not sharing wisdom: they are sharing their profound unhappiness and disconnection. No matter how much formal education they received, they express profound ignorance and suffering.
My invitation to you is to lean into your heart instead:
As you go through life, may you learn to appreciate people who open their hearts to others, who give generously, who are kind.
As you go through life, may you cultivate compassion within yourself, may you have the strength to walk away and let go of attachments, may you always put humanity (yours and others') above greed.
As you go through life may you give as well as receive, may you feel wonder at the beauty of everyday life, may you always remember your True nature and that of every living being you encounter.
As you go through life may you feel gratitude and love.
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