In my previous article, we talked about how, over time, loneliness can change into solitude. When we are in the throes of grief, solitude may not feel very comforting, and yet it is through solitude that we can find the peace – and yes, the joy – we are seeking.
Solitude opens the door to a deeper, more complete way of being. As we befriend that quiet inner space, we become more at home with ourselves and find inner strengths we may not have known were there. And so it is that we find another way of being where we feel more connected with ourselves, more whole.
Yes, whether we know it or not, even whether we will admit it or not, solitude does feed our soul. In solitude we get in touch with ourselves where we can tap into our deepest thoughts and feelings. In solitude we find out what’s going on inside us. Until we’ve done that, how can we know where we are going, or even where we want to go?
Truly, embracing solitude is a gift we can give ourselves – a gift that allows us to be with ourselves, to really get to know and appreciate ourselves so, more than ever before, we can really be ourselves . Yes, be what it is that we are capable of being – being what satisfies those deep longings inside us.
Where else are we going to find the answers we long for if it isn’t within ourselves? Oh yes, we all look to others for answers, but when we do, isn’t it more for confirmation of what we already inwardly sense to be true?
Losing a loved one is a radical change, one that forces us to stop and take stock of our situation. We may even find ourselves asking, “Where do I go from here?” The answer, of course, is in your heart.
If you listen to what your heart is saying, you will find not only a sense of direction for this new time in your life, but a sense of purpose as well. You will find the “something” that will bring new meaning to your days.
There is no denying that times of change are stretching, learning, growing times. As we expand in awareness of our nature and our potential, we may feel somewhat uneasy with the promise of unlimited growth. How can we be ready to be more when we are not yet comfortable with what we are now? It is a question that has no answer, but perhaps it does not need one, for the process is a gradual one, so subtle that it happens without our even knowing it. We might just as soon try to watch the grass grow, but grow it does, and so do we – in just the right way, and at just the right time.
The process is more a flow than a happening, with no beginning and no ending. Inner qualities and inner truth just seem to surface in our being like bubbles of reality finding release in our consciousness, emerging into our awareness subtly, unannounced and unexpected. It is a birthing process really, a becoming so interior in its occurrence that only in the silence can it creep into our awareness. Indeed, were we not looking we would never know it was there, but it is there. It is the stuff of life that molds and shapes us, that brings a new dynamic into our experience and gives it both meaning and purpose as we encounter the truths we have been seeking.
In that birthing, subtle and sometimes unseen, is the undeniable need to let go. Only when we do can the miracle truly happen.
