Solitude is often feared or avoided because it is associated with isolation, abandonment, or loneliness. Yet for some people solitude is the occasion for the most serene, intense or exhilarating moments in life. Being alone may provide the necessary setting for spiritual search and attempt to understand life's meaning. Solitude is a time to enjoy one's sense of self. For a person to really experience solitude, it must be sought out with expectation and gratitude.
Everyone is not happy being alone. Many people avoid time alone because they are uncomfortable in that state. In "The Reward of Living a Solitary Life", May Sartons states "that, suddenly alone, he would discover that he bored himself, or that there was, quite simply, no self there to meet" (880). These people may experience …show more content…
That moment when I am so relieved to be alone, in the quiet, grateful for a moments peace. The moment when I stop and breathe to take the time to enjoy the beauty of my surroundings is the moment of tranquility. May Sarton says, "Alone one is never lonely" (880). To choose solitude willingly, is to experience the joy of so many things. Solitude is more than being alone in a quiet area. It's about learning to listen to what is around [you]. I learn to listen to myself better and learn to think about things in a different aspect. I look at things differently and appreciate the smaller things in life. I appreciate the things I take for granted like the internet or simply the company of someone special in my life. May Sarton says, "Alone we can afford to be wholly whatever we are, and to feel whatever we feel absolutely. That is a great luxury!" (881). In the trembling stillness I smile to myself and view my solitude with joy and not sorrow, a time of reflection from within. As I sit with my eyes closed in meditation, I do not fear the stillness. I let every aspect of it wash over me and I enjoy my