Alone, But Not Lonely
The quiet gifts of solitude encompass spirit, mind and body.

By Eric Schneider

   I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude,” wrote Henry David Thoreau in his 1854 classic, Walden. Intentionally withdrawing from business as usual in his hometown of Concord, Massachusetts, Thoreau took up residence in a spare, self-built cabin at nearby Walden Pond, living there for two years in the spirit of his renowned credo, “Simplify, simplify.”
   Thoreau’s time, of course, was less complicated than our own, which is largely dictated by speed, efficiency and connectivity. We feel lost without a cell-phone signal, and are often uneasy when not regularly around other people, even if we have an underlying desire to be alone. While solitude can carry a negative connotation, it can be a boon for the mind and spirit—and even the body....


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