Feed your spirit

Some of the most joyful moments I've spent have been by myself. And as pathetic as that may sound to some people, I'm secure in my solitude. After all, if you don't enjoy spending time with yourself why should anybody else. It could be that growing up as an only child until my late teens allows me to feel comfortable in seclusion. I'm not a hermit by any stretch of the imagination. Like most people, almost every day of my life I have a heavy dose of social interaction. Most of the time I enjoy being around others. Nonetheless, I truly believe that spending time alone is not only a normal state of being, but a necessary one. And yet, so many people do everything in their power not to be alone with their thoughts, even if that means countless, mindless conversations on the phone. They are even willing to surround themselves with people they know in their heart of hearts are not their friends, just so they don't have to listen to the reasoning of their inner voice. An inner voice that in my opinion is a direct connection to the Creator.

Whether you call it meditation, centering, prayer or just silence, these stolen moments from the fast-paced and tumultuous world we're living in safeguard our sanity, mental agility and stamina. Finding the time to be with (notice I didn't say 'by') yourself is crucial--whether that means a walk in the park, a bicycle ride around a lake, a trip to the museum or sitting on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa under a warm blanket, on a cold winter day. Comparable to the body's need for water, when I don't get enough me time, I have a thirst that refuses to go away until it's satiated.

If I'm so distracted by life to the point that I don't make time for myself, the need for solitude can manifest as exhaustion or an aversion to activity outside my home. And despite the messages we receive from society that advocate constant multitasking, our bodies were not created to go, go, go like that battery-operated bunny. We need rest and time to shut out the noise of the world.