Looking out the window of my cozy little bungalow, I watch fallen leaves dressed in winter golds and browns stir up in a circle of storm-chilled wind, and I think up the piece I am about to write.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved being alone. Before I get deeper into this piece, let me state for the record, I am a social creature. I work with the public, enjoy an active social life, and am lucky to have many beloved people in my life.
When I was young, I enjoyed playing in my room, alone. As a teen, I enjoyed drawing up in my room on the nights I wasn’t hanging with my friends.
Nov - Dec 2021, I spent my first time alone as an adult in Portland, Maine. It was a cold winter month in a new place for me. I learned so much about myself during my month alone in snowy Maine.
Now, I treasure every minute I get to spend alone in my down time.
Alone, I am internally relaxed. An empath by nature, I sense the energy of people I come into contact with in my public life. When alone, I am able to hear my inner voice clearly. Alone, I can tap into my inner calm. An inner calm I didn’t realize I had until I lived alone.
Alone does not mean sad. Alone does not mean lonely. Alone does not mean outcast. Alone to me means peace, quiet, and calm. Alone is a soft place to land for me to rest and recover from the day. Alone means time to read, write, watch movies, soak in a hot bath, clean, sing, paint, dance, walk, visit the ocean, and move at my own pace. As an introvert I need alone time to replenish from the energy I expend during the day.
Alone I am truly me, and I believe this is the purest meaning of self love... Enjoying your own company, enjoying being with yourself, enjoying being alone.
Thank you for reading.
Michelle