That time I started Going Solo after Social disconnects

There are people who wonder why I'm no longer seen at major events. Those who know me well have likely never heard this story before, but today, I will share it as best as I can.

In 2012, at a Shriners parade in New Orleans, an event occurred that changed my perspective significantly. Many locals, myself included, enjoy following the parade and cheering for our favorite groups. Talladega College was participating in its first parade, and I decided to follow their band from the start to the end of the route. During the parade, I was running around, greeting friends and familiar faces, and having a wonderful time. 

However, as the band was loading their buses and people were saying their goodbyes, I suddenly felt overwhelmingly weak and had to lie down on the ground. I found myself alone in the middle of the uptown, CBD area, with no one around who knew me. No one came to check on me, which was a harsh realization about the nature of my friendships. I eventually mustered enough strength to stand and walked into a bar to buy a bottle of water. Despite standing there for about five minutes, I felt overheated and severely dehydrated, making me nauseous. As I walked up the street, a neighbor saw me and offered a ride home, for which I was incredibly grateful, even though they couldn’t take me all the way to my door.

When I finally got inside my house, I was so disoriented that I vomited the water I had just drunk. It seemed like nothing more came up, just the water. From that point, I focused on recovering. That experience made me slow down significantly, and it was a profound reminder of my solitary nature. Since then, I have connected with many people who are truly there for me, and I deeply appreciate them. However, I remain cautious because, in many ways, I am still that loner who no longer engages as openly as I used to. 

To this day, I am grateful for my health and the lessons learned. This experience has shaped how I navigate the world, prioritizing genuine connections and my well-being above all.