Solitude

I have a great deal of company in the house, especially in the morning when nobody calls. ~~Henry David Thoreau
I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among men than when we stay in our chambers. ~~Henry David Thoreau, "Solitude," Walden, 1854

If you are going to live out in the middle of nowhere you must be an introvert who is good at planning ahead. You forget one item in the recipe you planned for dinner, it is not easy to run to the store. You get lonely without the sound of humans or people passing by, you are out of luck.

We have one neighbor in a two mile radius. They were worried when we started to build. In the last year I took them a treat at Christmas and waved a couple of times. They think we are the best imaginable neighbors and we think the same in return. If they ever needed help we would never hesitate, and I know they would do the same for us. Beyond that, I don't want a neighbor for anything else.

I go to town to socialize; I go home to recharge. Home to me is a sanctuary where only the invited should tread. It is the place where I am safe from judgement or expectations where I can do and be without the worry of "what would the neighbors think". A place were I can escape from comparisons and mistakes.

We all must find the balance of social and solitude that creates a positive well being for our individual soul. Each and every person is different, but I believe we all need moments of quiet and reflection. That we all need to find companionship with ourselves.