Solitude

Whats the difference between Solitude and Loneliness...typing this post to a background music, musing in my room ,away from the  noise of cutlery as people jabber over dinner with some of their new friends in the adjoining room, I wonder...Am I lonely or is this solitude?

If you google "Solitude" a bunch of unflattering websites pop up. Even wikipedia calls it a disease and provides some therapists help! I believe thats a gross misinterpretation...Its a prevalent condition socially too!...ones choice to spend alone time is labelled and titled as loneliness and it deserves a sideways head tilt. There is a social need to be surrounded by people all the time. One gets that sorry look when one mentions a movie which was watched alone or a dinner by oneself...Why is it not a possibility that the person is having a great time by him/herself. Living in an age when all choices in life are embraced and find loyal advocates why is the choice to be left alone still so "lonely"? 

Loneliness, the anguish of being alone, is documented to be the biggest and most common fear in this world -that I would not wish upon anyone...

But Solitude ...its the glory of  being alone!...I hope everybody experiences it at least once before you write down somebody engrossed in a book over lunch in a crowded place. 

How can they both be the same?

For I believe Solitude begins where loneliness ends...How can one be completely free if you are scared to explore the sense of being alone?

Elsewhere religion describes solitude as Oneness with god ...Poems are written on it. Thoreau says "I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude "... some of the most creative work over centuries was done in moments of complete solitude. 

Its a perfect getaway that even couples in happy relationships  look forward to- Time with themselves. Those few minutes when they wake up in the morning before anybody else and  ponder over the sports column or the crossword as they sip coffee might well be the highlights of their day... 

With the ever changing dynamics of people and life  don't we all need moments of stable solitude? what about Sleep? Isn't that the most essential experience of solitude...No matter how many people you surround yourself with all through your day, thats one place you have to go alone! And everyone needs it . 

Heres a thought for all my fellow solitudes

You will not find a soulmate in the quiet of your room.  You must go to a noisy place and look in the quiet corners.  ~Robert Brault