One Is Not The Loneliest Number: Life as an only child

Although I have lots of cousins who I spent my Summers with down south, and plenty of fond memories that involve many of them, the person I spent the most time with was myself. I know that quite a few people that I know rave about growing up with siblings, and having secrets to share and arguments to hash out, and all kinds of fun, and that is well and good. I respect it, and I'm sure that it was everything I have heard, and witnessed also from the outside. But who I am, and how I think now has quite a bit to do with being an only child. Someone who learned very early in life how to hang out with myself.
From the time I was old enough to remember, I had my own room where I was given books upon books to read from my Grandparents, and plenty of ways to use my imagination. I had a TV in my room since I was 7 and I watched all of the garbage that kids watched, but I was also fascinated with news, animal shows, and documentaries on things ranging from World War 2, to The Mafia. Nobody bothered me as I constantly stayed in my room reading, or drawing, or just imagining as I watched the world unfold in front of me on television. I never wanted, nor needed anyone around me, because my imagination sustained me, and spewed out all kinds of things that I can remember to this day.
Being an only child has those advantages because you are constantly trying to entertain yourself in a way that doesn't involve anyone, or anything, so you gravitate towards things that normally kids with siblings just can't do for extended periods of time, because there are always interruptions. Only children seem to develop some inner intensity because their ultimate best friend is their imagination, and I can attest to that. We have to think from all sorts of angles, because there is no one to counter what we say. We also seem to become more responsible out of sheer necessity, because there is no one else to blame for anything broken, spilled, or just not done around the house. I learned early that There is no one to blame for anything that concerns me. Either I did something or I didn't. Either I said something or I didn't. It was simple. I am not saying that only children are smarter or more responsible or any of that, but what I'm saying is that there is more of a likelihood to gravitate towards those traits just by default.
I remember being the only kid in my class who knew that Nixon was the president, and that he was in quite a bit of trouble. I was way too young to understand the intricacies of Watergate, but I knew something bad was happening, and I couldn't wait to get home to see the news that I couldn't grasp anyway. I spent hours and hours doing what I wanted in my room without anyone bugging me except my grandmother just checking to see what I was doing occasionally. Siblings would have screwed that up for me big time, and my time might have been in demand to go play somewhere.
When people say that they want another child to be able to play and grow up with their only I shake my head and think that isn't a reason. If you want another child, then have one because you want another. Not to keep the one you've got company. I would teach that child exactly what was taught to me. Respect yourself, and others, read everything you can get your eyes on, and be a shepherd, not a sheep. You not only have to be an example to other people, but you have to love yourself, and think that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Being an only child led me to those thought patterns  because I was the focus, and I was given lots of time to think about everything.
Spoiled? some folks would say so, but I did not get everything I wanted, and was told no many times. Selfish? I wouldn't call it that. I would call it, "A sense of heightened acknowledgement of possessions" which is just a fancy way of saying selfish to an extent. Guilty. When you don't have to share, sometimes you don't know how to until you get older. That's the "Con" column, but the "Pros" outweigh all of that from my vantage point. I respect people with siblings and their experiences, and memories, but for me, I loved being an only child, and I understand only children. It's not lonely if you learn who to count on, trust, and think with. And that person is the one I trust, count on and think with to this day. He's gotten me this far. I think I'll stick with him.