The sensation of being alone is like having my 5 senses in isolation – no one to see me, no one to touch me, no one to hear me, no one to smell with me, no one to taste what I taste.
In our technologically encircled worlds, alone is not just physically being without, it is a feeling of being without. The stress and the pain elevates when there is the growing sense of being without. It is that feeling that comes over in waves to drown me in the harshness of what I can see, touch, hear, smell and taste. Alone is a feeling that sinks me in so many ways.
That sunken sensation reminds me of the submarine descending in open water and not finding its way back to the surface. This can be a real problem. However, the technology of the submarine has built-in buoyancy protections and will rise. Along with so many others who have their very own built-in buoyancy protections, our floatation devices need checking. During the times of shallow or deep descent into the abyss of one’s life, a built-in buoyancy needs to be engaged and allowed to guide one back to the surface.
We have all the necessary blueprints and diagrams of our own special buoyancy design somewhere within, some deeper than others. There is a need to find a way to engage the mechanics of buoyancy to move up towards the surface. The need to rise to the surface is essential. The tough part is going through the construction phase that will engage and get us moving. It can happen through a magic moment. It can happen after seeing the right video or movie. It can happen after reading that perfect book. It can happen when talking with a family member or a friend or a stranger. The key is trusting that buoyancy can and will be found and engaged.
Even with buoyancy, rising to the surface can be quick or slow. There is no single timetable for breathing fresh air. I know that only the strong have the ability to sense being alone. Only the strong can feel the pain. Consequently, it is the strong that need to reach out and feel the other side of their inner feelings. Feelings matter and we need to know how to reach out and touch our feelings and have our feelings energize us.
Being alone is a strong form of personal protection. There is no one to hurt us, beat us, make us feel short, tall, thin or fat. No one to dispute why or what we feel at each moment. While being alone, feeling alone, and away from the company of others there is a time to grow.
The more we learn the stronger we become, and the more we grow to share with all others. Being alone gives us time to reflect and revel within our own sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. The time it takes for us to rise to the surface is the time that can be used to prepare for when we have moved away from being and feeling alone. The fresh air is up there, above the surface and soon will be within our sense of smell. It will envelop us and make all of our senses function in ways that will amaze and astound all of us. Crossing our own divides requires courage, desire and a willingness to cross whatever is in front of us.
Richard Oppenheim helps individuals and companies get better. His effort is to deliver short term actions that will serve as the foundation for achieving long term goals, such as getting unstuck. He maps what is desired with what can be accomplished and then help create a personal road map for going forward.
As a CPA, Richard was an early innovator of computer based resources. Over the years, his efforts have integrated lots of business processes, personal actions, technology resources and decision making. He has developed computer based professional education courses and co-founded a company providing on-line education courses covering the areas of security, management and control over IT operations.
As an adjunct professor at NYU’s Graduate School of Business, Richard served as a Director with NYU’s Management Decision Laboratory. He graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and did post-graduate work at New York University.
His writing includes books, magazine columns, computer product reviews, feature articles, trade association pamphlets, book editing and ghostwriting.
His journey continues as he endeavors to guide and illuminate the path that others need to take.
