importance of solitude, God given solitude.
yesterday, i spent most of the day alone studying at carls junior.apart from the few people like my turor,the hairstylist, ariane and daphne who dropped by with their cell members and starbucks thereafter, and tuition, i was alone. though it doesnt sound like i had much of alone time, i did, i had about 5 hours. hahabut anyway my point is that i realised as much as i get energised by meetups with people, get excited when talkin to people, love being around friends, i need my alone time as well.I believe that no matter how extroverted we can be, we need some time in solitude, alone, some personal space - we all need that alone time though it differs from person to person.Our lives are often so hectic that from morning to night we are surrounded by others. For some, the only time they truly spend “alone” is while they’re sleeping. Yet, solitude – simply being by yourself to do whatever it is you please – is something that experts say is a basic need as important as having relationships with others.One thing we ought to understand and grapple with is the fact that God sometimes brings us through situations of solitude, seasons in our lives where we have to learn to be alone and independent both physically and naturally. many a time, we confuse such seasons to being lonely. but really, solitude is a positive state – not to be confused with loneliness, which is a negative one – in which your mind and body are truly free in God. I reckon most of us have mood swings. But i learnt that we all have to learn to be secure in such seasons where God brings us through solitude, orchestrating for us alone time, making the valleys a place of moulding and not go emo-ing away. These seasons of solitude are meant to recharge us, they are a gift to us, giving us time to think and realign ourselves. It is God's way of giving us spiritual and emotional alone time.It is a pity that many of us, youths esp, confuse the concept of God-given solitude with loneliness. Indeed, loneliness is emotionally depleting, interpersonally inhibiting, and psychologically regressing. when we are lonely, we feel empty. Intimacy needs are not met and, if they are, they somehow remain fundamentally unsatisfying. And in the midst of such a confusion btw solitude and loneliness, we look for activities, partners, passions to fill that void, to fill that loneliness. The cycle continues because without that season of solitude, our lives will be a downward spiral, and we will never truly understand what it means to be recharged in the secret place. Our lives can go on as normal, but it would pale in comparison to someone who has gone through the place of solitude, the place of security and assurance. i truely belief that at different points in our lives, we will all be called to that place of solitude, but really what we choose to do with that time, how we handle our emotions, what we choose to fill it with will determine the rest of our lives.
Blogged @ 1:57 AM