Mental Loneliness

Endless journeys in search of...

The act of growing older is an incredibly powerful thing to watch. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a parent watching your children grow into adults with families or watching the slow decay of your parents as they slip closer and closer to their final resting place, the evolution of life is soul-shaking. During this journey through existence, we’ll inevitably encounter many highs and lows. The joyous of times may carry us through the darkest of days, but the search for more, is non-ending.

The reality of our situation called life is that at some point we are allowed the opportunity to learn more. The choices we make and the truths we chase will ultimately be the foundation laid for the second act of our life. The point in time that causes one to open the door and take the first step into true self-discovery varies. For many, the initial drive to take the first step is unknown. For others, it could be the sedentary life that slowly creeps in or the realization that they lost themselves in a life filled with consumerism and chasing the promised prize that may not exist.

Personally, I would say one of the hardest parts of true self-discovery is innate loneliness. The older we grow, it appears the capacity to have friends of real substance seems to grow smaller every time the sun sets. The unfortunate reality of the situation is the ones that feel this way may not have ever had deep friendships. You see, the soul that is willing to go it alone, blaze a new path, or isn’t afraid to deconstruct their psyche only to try to rebuild it again, is not the normal person you see in your daily life. Even as I write this I understand the extreme arrogance that surrounds that idea. However, the multitudes that man contains allow many to get lost in the distractions created by the machine, whether they choose it or not, they are just cogs.

So, how do you live a life filled with mental loneliness? I can only imagine this question has been around as long as the thinking person has longed for more. Maybe, the question is not as old as time, maybe it’s only been around since humanity evolved and gave us the privilege to take for granted. One thing is for sure, there is no easy answer. As our days grow shorter the capacity for deep meaningful conversation and connection will also dwindle if we allow it.

If the Buddha said life is suffering, then within that suffering must be the loneliness, and in that loneliness must be acceptance, so in that acceptance, we’ll find peace, if only for a fleeting moment. The pain is both real and not, the emptiness is both real and not, and your loneliness will never subside. How you live with yourself in the silent moments is where you’ll find the answer to loneliness. It’s not easy, the road is long and endless. Peace may only be found at the end, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the ride.