Thandile
Loneliness is something no one really enjoys and most would prefer comfort than to be alone. It manifests in various degrees and stages within different contexts and therefore there are those who are in this lonely place whom I wish to share on, but are not conventional loners in a strict sense.
There is a lonely place that one reaches when they have made critical choices to stand for integrity in a time when the popular choice is to do the opposite. Compromise is a way of life if one wants to fit in and the consequences of doing otherwise are far reaching and not to be ignored. Acceptance comes at a high price of having to lay aside some of your own ideals to embrace others which are not always in line with your own.
Morals and high standing values are admirable from a far, but many on the podiums we idolise seldom tell us how lonely it is up there. We live in a time where the majority rules but, the fact is that the majority are not always right. In order to make such a bold stand, one must be cognisant of the reality that it often means walking away from certain people and loosing esteem in the sight of many; because they do not agree with you or are not bold enough to come to terms with the truth.
Truly upholding a high level of morality is immensely difficult in modern times, because the truth is twisted to deceive you in order to relax certain standards. The danger herein lies in the fact that one may ending up letting themselves go far beyond imagined, before they realise it. At this point returning is hardly ever an option.
The choice is yours and if you want to embark on the path of achieving significance through integrity then be prepared for the rejections, the pain, murmurs, the misunderstanding, kickbacks and many blows that one has to endure in order to maintain their stand. I don’t advise to go blindly but you have to COUNT THE COST. Are you willing to go that far and are you willing to defend the stand for truth because somewhere down the road you will find yourself in the lonely place of virtue.
This place is lonely because many prefer to go easy on themselves and avoid taking the hard way through. Many commend it but not many are prepared to go there. Loneliness can be the friend that brings you to the place which causes you to eliminate desires for things that don’t matter in the end, because you see what life is really all about. It reveals, heals and enables you to ask questions that others would not dare to utter aloud but from that place, a significance can be birthed if you are willingly to withstand the pain it brings.
To as many who would be prepared to come…..I salute you and wish you well.
Love T
