Solitude - Not Desolation

“The mind can weave itself warmly in the cocoon of its own thoughts, and dwell a hermit anywhere.” -- James Russell Lowell (1819-1891), American poet, critic, editor, and diplomat


I do not wish to live in, or even spend time in, a place like this, even though I am a an introvert.

Because an introverted person needs solitude doesn't mean that he or she desires to live entirely beyond the pale of human civilization. Of course sometimes well-meaning extroverts (those are the worst kind) can make an introvert temporarily experience a great desire to do just that. This precariously perched high mountain cabin, however, is probably not the sort of place most introverts would look for to escape the annoying extroverts at their heels.

After all, their motivation for seeking out solitude is not to be isolated from the rest of the human race. (With exceptions, of course, but I am speaking of introverts generally, and of myself in particular). The motivation is to be able to think, and to plan, often to read, sometimes to listen, and to work on things alone (be it mentally or physically or both). Eventually from their quiet place they will, after having had the time and space they need, be ready to re-enter the social milieu ... but always, they hope, with a place nearby where they can return to the solitude they need in order to be themselves, refresh themselves, and think most clearly and well.

These places of escape and solitude do not always have to be where there are no other people around. If they are able to concentrate and are left alone many introverts can relax and think and do quite a bit even in a crowd of people. With extroverts far outnumbering introverts, though, it's often hard to find such peace among other people, unless you're in a place where no one knows you and is unlikely to approach you.

That austere mountain cabin in the above picture, though...I have no desire for anything that isolated myself, and believe me, I am one of those people who really do enjoy being alone and would almost always rather be alone (in the library, at the computer, reading a book, watching the birds, drawing, planning, etc.). The point is not to escape the rest of humanity but to be able to bring our best selves to it.

Solitude by Alexander Pope

Solitude HAPPY the man, whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound, Content to breathe his native air In his own ground. Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread, Whose flocks supply him with attire; Whose trees in summer yield him shade, In winter fire. Blest, who can unconcern’dly find Hours, days, and years, slide soft away In health of body, peace of mind, Quiet by day. Sound sleep by night; study and ease Together mix’d, sweet recreation, And innocence, which most does please With meditation. Thus let me live, unseen, unknown; Thus unlamented let me die; Steal from the world, and not a stone Tell where I lie. Alexander Pope (1688–1744)

Charles Darwin, Introvert

Charles Darwin's "Thinking Path" at his home (Down House)

"I'm never less at leisure than when at leisure, or less

alone than when alone."-- Scipio the Elder (235–183 BC)

Charles Darwin, introvert

My Work Center

My Work Center on April 19, 2010

"The happiest of all lives is a busy solitude." - Voltaire

In an earlier post there is a picture of a woman alone in a darkish room, writing at her desk.  At first glance that scene seems to illustrate the above quote.  However, after looking at the picture more carefully it seems that the woman is not actually a person who yearns for solitude, though she's smart enough to realize she needs an iota of it in order to write a thoughtful note.  One also realizes that the area in which she's writing is not the kind of space (as it is furnished and apparently cared for) that a person who thrives in solitude would be comfortable in.
 
I offer here a view of my own "inner sanctum."  This is the center of my life, actually.  Although I do a lot of outside (physical) work, it's here where I plan that work, and do a lot of other planning as well.  It's also where I download all the pictures I take with my camera (usually several to dozens every day) and delete/edit/disseminate them according to how "good" (my judgment) and how useful they are or might be for various purposes.

It's also where I keep up with my website and another blog besides this one, besides the online "shops" where some of my drawings are (very seldom) sold on mugs and stationery and where I put up new designs from time to time. It's here where I do most of my reading (from the computer and from books), and type up notes and prepare my blog posts, and it's from here that I order my books (and other items, but mostly books) as well as try to keep up with news and new articles and videos on all the subjects that interest me, and it's here that I plan my days, my weeks, and even - roughly - the whole year ahead (in December) and work on various projects.  Also, this is where I write and receive several emails every day.  And this is where I write down my thoughts, ideas, memories, quotes I come across, etc. that I may (and often do) find useful in the future.
 
It's also (mostly) here that I draw.  Note the little clipboard behind the computer keyboard -- That has been my "drawing table" for many, many years.  Just the other day I received a sketch board that I ordered which I intend to use now for drawing, though I haven't had time to use it yet.  Although small for a sketch board (18-1/2" x 19-1/2"), it's much larger than the clipboard yet won't be too large to see over and use comfortably while sitting in a chair.
 
The next time I take a picture of my "work center" the details will be a little different, depending on what I'm working on at the time.  I also hope to add some more shelves somewhere, perhaps on the wall if I'm lucky, so that I can see what I have - get more things up off the floor and out of boxes; that's probably just a dream, though.  For the most part it will still probably look pretty much as it does in the picture.  It suits me.  It's comfortable.  I don't worry about how it looks unless I think that someone might come by.  Luckily, usually people don't come by as I communicate mostly via email.

I think you will agree that although at first glance it may appear that I am a recluse who has no interest in people, the truth is that I am a communicator.  People are very important in my life.  It's just that my methods of communication are different than those of more extrovertish people due to my need to be for the most part alone in order to do be comfortable and do my best.

A Busy Solitude

Woman at her writing table

Lesser Ury (German, 1861 - 1931)

Picture source: Wikimedia

"The happiest of all lives is a busy solitude." - Voltaire

A busy solitude?  Yes, but a little too "busy" for me!  This woman looks intense -- her body tilting forward from the waist, head and neck even further inclined, shoulders scrunched up, her hand gripping the pen tightly with a fist held close to her body. Even the chair seems to be tipped forward, and its arms appear to be making a vain attempt to hold the woman back as she leans toward the letter she's writing. Even her neat upswept hairstyle, as pretty as it is, gives the impression that she is a particularly tidy woman who dresses for others. In other words, this dark and cozy interior isn't a place where she usually spends time alone. She looks more like an extrovert than an introvert. One can easily imagine her standing by that piano listening intently to her daughter or son practicing. But one can't imagine her: piling that desk with books that never go away, allowing dust to ever be seen in there, letting the room become cluttered with miscellanea she just might need to consult or use in some other way (perhaps just as inspiration), reading out of great curiosity or reading anything longer than a magazine article, or leaning back thinking without doing anything else at all, or spending time just staring out the window letting the thoughts pour in.

I would guess that any time she spent at that desk would be devoted to paying the bills and writing necessary letters to "Mother" and "Aunt Jane" to let them know what the family has been doing.

This seems to be an admirable woman. I'm sure she's a delightful wife and a very competent mother and a faithful friend. I'm glad there are people like her. But, oh what a waste of a cozy-looking interior space that would be such a sweet library and refuge for someone who loves solitude.

A Little Back Shop

"In solitude, where we are least alone." -- Lord Byron

"A man must keep a little back shop where he can be himself without reserve. In solitude alone can he know true freedom." -- Michel De Montaigne

The quotation above and at the top of each page of this blog was surely not meant to refer to an actual place, or I never thought so. To me it refers to "a place in the mind" that one can escape to even when sitting in a room full of people. However, it also makes me think of a real place - a room or a dedicated part of a room, inside or outside -- anywhere that is one's own to be by oneself in - and I do believe that such a place, no matter how small or "strange" or messy it may look to others can be a welcome, comforting, and extremely useful haven for an introverted person...a place where they can be themselves, immerse themselves completely in what they're interested in, and think of things and try things that can only be thought of and tried in solitude; and, ironically you might say, since they are alone, it is the place where they best communicate from, in writing and/or through other means of communication, including all the things they create there. It is also a place where one can contemplate well the thoughts and ideas and perspectives and vision and knowledge of others who have obviously spent much of their own time in solitude.

Do extroverts also need such a place, and in fact could they truly treasure and make good use of such a place if only for small amounts of time? Of course introverts and extroverts are not all gathered at extreme ends of the scale.  They are all along the scale, and there are some people in the middle who are introverts at times, extroverts at other times, to different degrees. So I feel sure that a majority of people can probably identify with this craving for a space of one's own - an absolutely private workshop or study type of area. However, the part-introvert/part-extrovert might want to be sure that their private space would look good in a House & Garden type magazine spread, while a "pure" extrovert might think such a personally dedicated area is completely unnecessary and a waste of good space. An introvert doesn't care how it looks; he or she needs that place in order to be themselves. I'm an introvert, myself.