There Is Discovery In Aloneness

I think people wait lifetimes for someone to join them—to catch a flight, to take a hike, a road trip, a chance.

I think people settle too quickly, afraid they might miss their chance. Settled with the wrong one, they miss their chance entirely. They forget the things they wanted to do, the dreams they had, the plans they made. They sacrifice themselves in order to appeal to their partner; in order to avoid walking through their life alone.

Alone is not a scary place. It is a place I visit often. In the woods, on planes, in cars across state lines. My favorite version of alone happens during long nights with a tent, a flashlight, and a good book. I seek it out on dirt paths, in coffee cups and old train stations. I stumble into it on Saturday mornings with a journal and a pen. It is there again in the evening with a sunset, as a reflection upon my day. Alone is the place I find my voice, my truth, my purpose.

Alone is not silent. It is loud with discovery. An entire melody can be discovered in the shuffle of your feet, along dirt trails, beside singing waterways and towering trees. Just listen to the sound of your breath, the thoughts in your mind, the beating of your heart—I envy the discoveries you will make!

If you are alone and waiting, I beg you to stop. I beg you to book the flight, to take the trip, to go for a walk, to do it alone.

The truth is, you will never stay lonely long. You will find with fresh eyes and an open heart, there is a world of people out there, alone but together. There are people who have done the exact things you fear and lived to talk about it. They are dreamers, poets, artists and they are you, too. Do not fear all the beautiful places to discover within your alone.