Solitude

Jackie Ann
Sep 1, 2018 · 2 min read
pixabay.com

“Alone, we live in our bodies as a question rather than a statement.” -David Whyte (From David Whyte’s Consolations)

Free of expectation, there is a sacred holding of space when I am alone. This is a space that is usually inhabited by someone else’s perspective, someone else’s presence; someone else’s story. And once vacated, after I’ve slipped behind the solitary curtain, naked to myself again, there is room to breathe. Fully and deeply. I can be me, imperfections and all, without worrying about how I come off to others or whether I am living up to a standard I’ve set for myself.

I treasure the fertility of solitude and its symbiotic relationship to creativity. But parallel to the joy of solitude is the pain of loneliness. Alone becomes lonely when I would rather be with someone else but I am too insecure or afraid to share myself. There is no greater loneliness than the tease of touch, the awkwardness of intimacy, and the depth of separation as you feel a universe between your fingertips and someone else’s skin. Even as you share all there is a body and soul can share with another, the space grows as you get closer. The question grows as the answers are revealed.

I suppose this is a great irony of our human lives in all their fragility and strength — that we are unknown to ourselves even as we believe there are no mysteries left to uncover. And perhaps the only real separation is the one we make when we chose to fear the depth and beauty of our being rather than to savor the awe of being alive, as creatures who are by nature alone and by nature together.

Crescent Moon

Waxing and waning. A space for self-reflection and personal growth.

Jackie Ann

Written by

Passionate writer who enjoys using the creative process as a means of self expression and self reflection. instagram.com/jacquelineann06

Crescent Moon

Waxing and waning. A space for self-reflection and personal growth.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade