[acyou]

When I feel that I have climbed to the highest peaks and I now stare into the limitless and desolate void, the choice is now whether or not to rejoice in the dance of life.

Many have walked the same road and many plunge into the abyss of despair. For many others, including myself, it's a landmark or the continual scenery.

For me, I don't believe there was a way back. I think it made me a different person. It was and is great, but I am lonelier than ever despite being surrounded by wonderful friends and family. And that is probably for the best. Lonely is probably not the right word for it.

[lost_founder]

Why is it for the best? Lonely feels right, even though by all objective measure I’m definitely not.

[acyou]

I have found myself as a new person with a new system of values and new interests and a great new outlook on life, yet the world around me has not yet shifted. It's my imperative to communicate my values with others and find others with common interests, and I either haven't done a good job of doing that, or my values and interests may be incompatible in general with others and society at large (or at least with my current social circle).

I value the existing people and relationships in my life, and that keeps me from changing too much and grounds me in reality and society, which is probably good for me and for society at large. I think that this sort of thing happens to everyone.

Maybe we strain against our harnesses and the web that we're in, and sometimes the web holds fast, or sometimes the network shifts and comes into new, better and more harmonious alignment.

[PaulBGD_]

It sounds like you’re describing loneliness, and objectively you mean aloneness. You can be lonely without being alone.