“The philosophy of Solitude” says that in reality, all of us are solitary. But, paradoxically, almost all of us are afraid to be alone. We are born alone—only us—and we die alone. No one goes with us on that last journey. We spend a good part of our lives making decisions and choices all, alone, for which we alone must accept responsibility. Our greatest fear and insecurity is to be alone. Since most of us are afraid to be alone, or at least to feel alone, we do everything we can do to forget our essential solitude.
We use every trick in the book to avoid being alone. We keep busy, we work overtime. But, actually without solitude of some sort, there is and can be no maturity. Unless one becomes empty and alone, he cannot give himself in love, because he does not possesses the deep self which is the only gift worthy of love. Young people are particularly afraid to be alone. It is only when we become older and more mature that we realize that we have to be alone from time to time to discover ourselves. But sitting alone in a place, we can visualize our everyday action being tossed into the currents and whirlpools of the great river of life and being thoroughly mixed in a great matrix of interconnectedness.
Those who take upon themselves the adventure of treading the successful path must also learn to let go their separate selves. The real self, the deep self, can not be discovered in the midst of other people.
You know what. One must strike a balance between solitude and company. Both extremes are not advisable. Of course, a very social person is a nuisance but little bit of mixing is always welcome.
However social one may be, we are all existentially alone.
A nice post, written in contemplation I can make out.
@Anonymous: I mentioned, Solitude as a way of finding out our Social nature 🙂
@Lalith: Thanks!