Bishop Frank Freds Nwosu is the President, Elim African Mission Inc., a preacher in different radio channels, and a management expert. In this interview with EJIKEME OMENAZU , Dr Nwosu speaks on the issue of being alone and being lonely, which is one of the issues he treated in a recent broadcast.
Excerpt: one of your recent radio broadcasts, you treated the issue of ‘Being alone and being lonely: a Critical Look at Emotional Dispositions’. From a Christian point of view, what does it mean to be lonely? To be lonely suggests a feeling of inadequacy due to the absence of another person who can supply emotional support. This thought or feeling of incompleteness is premised on the assumption that the more people are, the merrier they become.
But, this is not absolute truth. The fact, instead, is that there are people born, bred, and naturally wired to be introverted. They seem to attain inner joy and satisfaction when they are alone, or left to themselves.
In their case, it even becomes a strain to adjust to the din of the city and the raucous concourse of friends. On the other hand, real loneliness comes with a tinge of sadness and a hollow feeling of missing something or someone other than oneself. When can one be said to be lonely? Being alone does not automatically make someone lonely.
Loneliness is only a feeling. It can be worked up. It can be dispelled.
It can even be denied, rejected and shrugged off. One can be said to be lonely whenever he allows the cloud of empti.