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Thursday, July 07, 2005
What Loneliness Does This fear is part and parcel of the thing we call "loneliness." It drives folks who don't meet the individuals they'd all like to know to the sad old device of putting up with what they can get. It accounts for the unfortunate straying of many a sweet, wholesome boy or girl into bad company. Being alone seems a tragedy to so many of us. But, as a matter of fact, being alone offers most of life's opportunities. Big things are created in solitude. A clever newspaper man may dash off a fine article in the midst of a busy, thronging "city room." But a great book is written in cloistered quiet. All of us must get away by ourselves and search our souls if we want to do anything worth while. The man who has a big job on at the office may stay after hours and get it out in the quiet of the empty rooms where he can do the day's routine, but where he can't concentrate sufficiently to produce the bigger and better thing he's after. Or he may dope it out while walking through the park, or in the solitude of his room, or even while riding the subway. But he can't dig into the innermost recesses of his mind unless he actually invites "loneliness." Using Your Time With congenial companions at hand and all sorts of things to woo human nature to the lure of amusing itself and having a good time, work doesn't get done. Loneliness means a solitude of spirit which isn't easy to bear. But it offers the opportunity to work toward the big things each of us wants from life. It gives time to read and think. It means growth. It opens the doors to progress. Suppose you never have anything to do evenings. Or Sundays. Dreadful times those for youth to be alone when all the world seems happily arranged in groups of two. Of course at last half the world is invisible because [it is] sitting in its hall bedroom grieving over its "unique" loneliness. How about using two of the evenings at classes at the "Y," or some of the many other places which offer youth a chance to obtain some of the world's vast store of wisdom? How about a gymnasium? Or an art school? Or some University Extension lectures? Or a course in good reading? Or sewing? Or studying up for the job two jumps ahead of you? Why not use your loneliness? Instead of grieving over it, figure that it offers opportunity for growth and progress. Life is short and crowded with duties. There are so many chances crowding about folks that they'd be dizzy if they realized them all.
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