Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world. It can be climbed successfully with minimal technical skill, but the physical and mental challenges are huge. The secret to conquering Mount Kilimanjaro is to just keep going, a maxim that applies equally when facing the trials of life, such as bereavement, heartbreak, and loneliness. Loneliness is perhaps one of the most insidious legacies of the COVID-19 pandemic. People increasingly live alone, work alone and play alone; disconnected from society through the modern cultures of home working, absolute dependence on smartphones and the ability to stream television and cinema into their living rooms on demand. These modern factors conspire to break the connections between fellow human beings, and this can render recovering from bereavement, heartbreak, and other life trials especially hard. The enforced isolation of lockdown served to strengthen and normalize human disconnection, which has arguably led to a disturbing deterioration in the nations’ mental health. Reflections from the Top of the World presents a powerful alternative philosophy of connection, mutual endeavour, and achievement. A philosophy that does not necessarily require individuals to climb the world’s largest freestanding mountain, but one that encourages reflection on the root causes of sadness and joy. The ultimate conclusion is a convincing belief that whatever life throws you, there will always be new happiness to look forward to if you just keep going.
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