People often get scared by this thought, spending time with oneself. But if we think thoroughly, is there any ONE person in this world who is absolutely out of human touch? Unless he lives in some god forbidden place... without electricity, cell phone towers etc etc :)
We always have so many things around us which keep us directly or indirectly connected to others..phone, television, radio, internet, books, movies…. We are never deprived of human connection "absolutely" are we?
I am not asking anyone to confine himself or herself to rooms and live a lonely life against will... like monks. I wanted to say that in today’s busy world if we are forced to a life for a while where we don’t have much company or no company at all.. then enjoy that solitude.
People of younger age are more vulnerable to this feeling, I too have been once. I lived away for a year in a state which had nothing common with west bengal, and only five relatives. So I used to spend my free time roaming around the roads in my sunny or licking the brain of a tenant of the same house... now when i look back i really feel embarassed of myself. But the circumstances of next few years taught me invaluable lessons in solitude, it made me a better and more composed human being. More adjusting and forgiving.
As I slowly made a habit of staying alone, I saw people will raise their eyebrow in both cases (craving for human companionship or being nonchalant to it) and pass remarks, but in the second condition, that is my present way of life, I will have full control on my time, my life and I will never feel like a fool when I will look back at it... the last point counts a lot to me :)
I utilize my time with myself by listening to music, writing, reading or working. There are too many productive hobbies we can take up. But I always take up a hobby to enjoy, not to toil on. They always leave me refreshed, looking forward to do it again. We should always select hobbies which wil leave us a better person, and enhance our capacity as a human being.
If we start to love ourselves and our own company it will fill our arms up with a lot of positive things..
one, we will be able to survive without depending on any outer source for happiness
two, we may save our necks (and dignity) from time to time for not being part of some gossip.. :)
three, people will welcome us if we visit them, in place of making excuses like "i was just going out to see.." they will grin and welcome us.
four, we will be able to do something with our time which will make us really smug..
five, in today's internet savvy era we can share all our feelings with our close friends instantly without bothering them.
but we should always keep some time to meet our friends too, so that the friendship doesnot vanishes.
Kingmaker 14 on 16th Jan 2011
13 years ago
Solitude is wonderful, but we don't necessarily have to be in a forsaken place to have it. I find it inside our mission church when masses are not in session, walking down a street in our small town at night when no one is about, and even at empty gates when early for a plane departure.
ReplyDeleteI have lived in forsaken places and there is a solitude there, but there is also plenty of company there if we want it: nature talks to us, God's presence is felt, we are not alone unless we so choose.
i completely agree with you.. solitude is the most beautiful thing we can find inside our soul, even when we are surrounded by a gathering.
ReplyDeleteSolitude is the most important ingredient to make a person more creative, more considerate, more thoughtful. It leads to a very important self-analysis, which can help a person rejuvenate his/her strengths to fight out all odds. Still, I also believe that, it should be a place of comfort, where a person can be in solitude. A place, where no other troubles from the neighborhood (in case of jungle, a mosquito even), will trouble him.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post Trisha. Good one.
dear shankha,
ReplyDeleteIt works as a magic balm. how i wish there was ONE place in kolkata where we could be oblivious of fellow human beings without being afraid of being mugged.
thanks for the encouragement. any thing new?
Hi Trish,
ReplyDeleteFantastic post! I couldn't agree with you more.
We are all distracted from ourselves...or wish to be distracted so not to see our true selves.
I love spending time alone with myself because it helps me to understand who I am and gain knowledge of myself. I am my own best friend because I can think and do things without any outside influence.
I recommende everyone to spend time alone with their thoughts from time to time - a good exercise towards cultivating self-knowledge.
Thanks, humanbeing1940 from blogcatelog
dear jason,
ReplyDeletei too feel the same way solitude is a way to self improvement and self realization.
i can see the changes in myself too clearly.
When I was rejected by my friends and relatives (except a few of them) I was too much disappointed by life. It was the time when I started to keep myself alone. In my solitude I started to inquire myself about the purpose of my existence, life's existence. No one helped me except the One who had created me, surely He is Allah who helped me and showed me the signs of His existence in flowers,in seeds, in trees,plants, in thorns and in flowers and also in my ownself. I can say that I found my Creator in the state of being alone. He guided me towards His book, the Holy Quran wich gave me the knowledge about the purpose of life. Now, I love my relatives, my friends my fellow workers.... and also my fellow bloggers, brothers and sisters from all around the world like my sisters Nuriddeenk, Zindagi, trisha and Melinda and my brother Marty Robin.. Nature, books and solitude have proved to be my best friends.
ReplyDeleteThank you, sister.
dearest brother,
ReplyDeleteGod distances his/her favourite children from the rest of the world to show his/her glory to them.. so that they know its worth.
solitude is essential for self discovery.
i am proud to have you as my brother.
with warmest affections,
trisha