Many of us were young when the Beatles released this sad song in 1966, but I do not remember feeling sad then. That was almost 60 years ago.
I asked AI to create an image about Eleanor Rigby. Here is the one that I liked the best. It is a middle aged woman rendered in a reddish pen and ink on a black background. For Eleanor Rigby as described in the lyrics, I suspect that she is too pretty. Still she looks sad. It is an appealing image.
Ah, look at all the lonely people
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beatles/eleanorrigby.html
Ah, look at all the lonely people
Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door
Who is it for?
All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?
Father McKenzie writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear
No one comes near
Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there’s nobody there
What does he care?
All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?
Ah, look at all the lonely people
Ah, look at all the lonely people
Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name
Nobody came
Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave
No one was saved
All the lonely people
(Ah, look at all the lonely people)
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
(Ah, look at all the lonely people)
Where do they all belong
I like the feel of the following image but it is not quite right and there are a lot of AI artifacts that should not be there. AI is still in kindergarten.
It reminds me of a tall elderly dignified man with his colorful umbrella walking in the same park that I frequent. We smile at each other, say hi, and continue on our way. He is alone as I am. And there are others as well. Each in their own safe world. And then I wonder what stories he and others would tell. Is he from England, France or some other place?
There is a blogger that I have followed for years that argues loneliness is by design. It is the nature of our car-centric cities and suburbs. A friend of mine from long ago was fond of saying it is because we can afford to build walls.
Today I think that it is all of those things, and it is because we are told to be safe by the media and our governments.
Over and over. It is not just the stranger next door; it is the coffee we drink or the water we drink. Everything is dangerous. So, we button up, we build our walls. We buy the latest things if we think they will make us safe.
We’re told that is not safe to let kids play outside or to walk to school.
Then we’re somehow told that it is not polite to pry or to ask for help, and by all means do not offer help.
COVID gave us even more reasons. They told us stay home. Do not go out unless you had to. Churches and all other social organization were included in the lockdown. The remaining churches and social organizations are now on life support.
So now we remain alone. It’s the safe thing to do.
And Eleanor Rigby speaks louder than ever. Only it is not just the poor, it is everyone now.
Yet despite all this, we are driven to not be alone. We as a society need to break these barriers. We need to speak up and tear down those walls. In the meantime do something, anything.
Start talking. Put a smile on your face and laugh. Get out. Talk. Do something new everyday. Look for opportunities to help others. Ask questions. Pry a little. Find people. They are there.
And stop worrying about being safe. Most of what we are told to worry about is not going to hurt you. Of course, there are exceptions, so think and ask questions. Don’t listen to the naysayers. And put a smile on your face. And above all be unique because you are.