Word of the Week

Alone

Definition: having no one else present; on one's own

Consider this...

Like a lot of young adults these days, I live at home with my parents. It’s actually a pretty sweet deal - I’m saving money instead of paying rent and utilities, there are always delicious things to eat, and I have constant companionship. (My parents are really cool, truly!)

This weekend, my parents went out of town for business, so I have the whole house to myself. And it’s wonderful. As much as I love being at home with my family, I love being alone.

Is that shocking? Probably. It seems weird to think about, just being alone. But I love it. There’s just something about the stillness, the quiet, the independence that makes me feel very content. When I’m alone, I don’t necessarily do anything different than if I were to be with other people. I think I just like knowing that I can take care of myself, by myself. Not that I would want to do it forever, but it’s a nice feeling nonetheless.

What I really love is this: When I’m alone, I do a lot of thinking, and I always feel really accomplished when I learn something new about myself.

I was sharing my thoughts about alone-ness with a dear friend of mine, who practically cringed when I told her I loved it. To her, being alone is almost painful. It makes her feel anxious and antsy. She doesn’t know what to do with herself and she just craves company.

What about you? Do you like being alone sometimes, or does the thought of it sound horrible?