The lonely only child

Inspired by the thread about siblings — how many of us are only children? How do you feel about it? Do you think it made your childhood worse? Or are you glad no other children had to endure your parents?

I have a conflicting relationship with it. On one hand, I grew up to be an imaginative person with a rich inner world through hours of boredom. On the other, the loneliness is... so palpable. I feel like it was a special kind of being alone. It shaped me in so many ways. Sometimes I think it may have been the biggest factor in shaping my personality. Boo.

As for the more practical side of things, I do not want to think of how I, on my own, am supposed to take care of my aging parents. I don't want to.