Enjoying My Solitude

During this month, May 2011, my schedule is mostly full, from Monday till Sunday. Each year on May, my city - Surabaya - is held a big event to celebrate its anniversary. It's called Surabaya Shopping Festival. It is a moment where we could buy things with a nice, big discount. It is also a good moment to see many promotions and exhibitions.

This year, I had a plan to use each weekend on May to shop and replenish the wardrobe of my little one. He became bigger so fast lately, that barely any of his gears fit in him. And there was also a suit of black trousers and white shirt he would need for his First Communion sacrament next month. Then, there was a wedding invitation from the brother of my good friend. And the monthly shopping, my routine 'beauty treatment'. Then, I needed to browse some softwares for my work...... For all of those plans, I only had FIVE weekends....so crowded and would be tiring so much, when I was seeing it at the beginning of May.

So, I organized every step I would had carefully to preserve my energy and health (at the time, I still had some illness leftover from the Easter week). I made a limit only visiting one place (read: mall) each times, and made sure that I still had enough time to rest every weekend.

Then, on the fourth Friday of May I had a nice surprise. My little one was scheduled to do a social activity with his Sunday School on Sunday morning till in the afternoon. Then, Mom announced that she was asked to go with the other members of our church committee for a weekend retreat. I did some calculate and found out that I would have a whole Sunday morning on my own....hmmmm....

So, there was I.... After a busy morning, preparing breakfast and washing clothes, I delivered the little one to his appointment and went back to an empty and silent home. Felt lonely? On the contrary!!! I felt soooooo relax for the first time during the month. I could feel that the time was slow down. No noise from TV or radio, which usually is turned on by Mom and the little one. I could play my online-game freely (because as a rule, I don't allow the little one play any games on computer....hehehe....). I was alone, but I didn't feel lonely.... I was just enjoying my solitude.

Solitude is the state of being alone without being lonely. It is a positive and constructive state of engagement with oneself. Solitude is desirable, a state of being alone where you provide yourself wonderful and sufficient company.