Reminds me of a powerful quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson's 'Self Reliance':
“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”
To my mind, the difference between loneliness and solitude is rooted in control. If I can choose to be alone, it the choice is empowering; if the choice is not mine and I am unable to change the situation, then the implication is negative. Both states of being are essentially the same - whether the individual has chosen this singular state of being is what defines the state as one version or another.
True. In crowded cities often people are agitated and lonely. In sparsely populated mountainous places people find themselves and are at complete peace.
Reminds me of a powerful quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson's 'Self Reliance':
“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”
Very t
Very true
Solitude is something one wants to go into whereas loneliness is something you want to come out of.
That was a smart repartee
To my mind, the difference between loneliness and solitude is rooted in control. If I can choose to be alone, it the choice is empowering; if the choice is not mine and I am unable to change the situation, then the implication is negative. Both states of being are essentially the same - whether the individual has chosen this singular state of being is what defines the state as one version or another.
Very interesting perspective Peter. Thank you.
True. In crowded cities often people are agitated and lonely. In sparsely populated mountainous places people find themselves and are at complete peace.
Nicely put
Just to add..............
*अकेलापन* v/s *एकांत*
*'अकेलापन'* इस संसार में सबसे बड़ी सज़ा है.!
और *'एकांत'*
इस संसार में सबसे बड़ा वरदान.!!
ये दो समानार्थी दिखने वाले
शब्दों के अर्थ में
जमीन और आसमान का अंतर है।
*अकेलेपन* में छटपटाहट है
तो *एकांत* में आराम है।
*अकेलेपन* में घबराहट है
तो *एकांत* में शांति।
जब तक हमारी नज़र
बाहरकी ओर है तब तक हम
*अकेलापन* महसूस करते हैं
और
जैसे ही नज़र भीतर की ओर मुड़ी
तो *एकांत* अनुभव होने लगता है।
ये जीवन और कुछ नहीं
वस्तुतः
*अकेलेपन* से *एकांत* की ओर
एक यात्रा ही है.!!
ऐसी *यात्रा* जिसमें
*राही* भी हम हैं और *मंज़िल* भी हम हैं.!!
very nice and profound. Thank you!!