I had a more-than-an-hour-lovely chat with a an online friend last night. She is based in Bacolod City in the southern part of the Philippines and we both belong to the group chat of Sambuhay Interaktib. We touched on so many subjects like our online Kris Kringle at Sambuhay Interaktib that includes twelve priest friends and seminarians who are active at the site. I wonder what mechanics they will do to make it successful.
We touched on religious books we have read before. Her sister is a Trappistine contemplative nun so the latter suggests books for her to read. She loves Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen and Mary Oliver too. I told her to look for the works of John O’Donohue, a former priest, poet and writer who died last January 4, 2008. A great loss to the people who love his works like I do.
Solitude.
It’s a favorite word for this newly-met friend. She told me that she would have entered the convent too but it didn’t materialize. Solitude may have different meaning to some but that kind that we crave being in the company of our thoughts, those times that we need to contemplate about life and find meaning in the everyday things happening around, those times that we need to be alone and just enjoy life as it is.
Solitude.
Being alone but not necessarily lonely. Being alone and feeling lonely are two different things. We can grow more comfortable with just being ourselves. It gives us an opportunity to plan our lives. I always experience that lovely communication with God and nature when I am in the garden, uprooting weeds, pruning and planting some seeds or deadheading flowers.
You can sit quietly in a corner, listen to some music of old and before you know it, you are uplifted. Sometimes it even comes to a point where you sing too and you remember lovely memories in your life.
Beautifully expressed, Arlene.
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So glad you like it Anne, thanks 🙂
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Alone but not lonely – that is indeed the key
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Yes Derrick, thanks!
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People often confuse Solitude with Loneliness. But solitude is a choice, and can be very rewarding.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I agree with you Pete. It is always nice to be alone sometimes but you still look at life not as a lonely planet. Loneliness projects a negative emotion while being alone is a necessary thing in one’s life.
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Solitude is a wonderful thing, no wonder it used to be trendy to be a hermit and live in cave. I wish we had a bit more of it, the world seems so noisy these days.
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I do agree, the world has become so noisy, not really that conducive anymore for some of us to live in. I could still feel it when I am in the garden – chasing thoughts in my head and listening to silent words while pulling a stubborn weed – priceless moments savouring the language of silence.
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We spent years as Quakers before we became Catholics. Even though they look like opposites, they are quite close internally. Quakers and Catholics both understand solitude and contemplation though they may go about it differently. I would not survive without long periods of solitude.
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That is nice Elizabeth. Solitude, that is why I love the writings of Henri Nouwen and Thomas Merton too much. They understand what solitude means and write about it.
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Two of our favorite writers too. I love that we have similar reading habits across the world from each other.
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Isn’t that lovely, that we can still communicate through those authors and books?
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Absolutely.
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