The Gift Of Solitude
Alone doesn’t have to be lonely.
Solitude is a beautiful gift. A gift we try to run away from. Whether conscious of it or not. We cannot always bear the weight of our aloneness. Especially when it drifts into loneliness. It takes courage to truly be with ourselves and face our inner demons. And many of us don’t realise, it’s some of the most important work we can do. The one who can be comfortable in solitude has no trouble finding peace. For when you’re always racing from one thing to the next, you can’t see what’s lurking below the sediment. It’s quite astonishing that such a beautiful gift is free and always right in front of us if you choose to see.
Reflection
Pair with this quote from Henri Nouwen:
“All human beings are alone.
No other person will completely feel like we do, think like we do, act like we do.
Each of us is unique, and our aloneness is the other side of our uniqueness.
The question is whether we let our aloneness become loneliness or whether we allow it to lead us into solitude.
Loneliness is painful; solitude is peaceful.
Loneliness makes us cling to others in desperation; solitude allows us to respect others in their uniqueness and create community.
Letting our aloneness grow into solitude and not into loneliness is a lifelong struggle.”
— Henri Nouwen
How can you nurture your aloneness to grow into solitude
rather than loneliness?
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Walking is one of my favourite kinds of solitude:
