By David Coy
Sunrise
Isolation is the state of being in a place or situation that separates oneself from others. Human beings are social creatures and need social interaction. Whether a person isolates themselves or is forcefully isolated from others, it can have a serious negative effect. One example involves Joshua Slocum, the first person to circumvent the globe in a sailboat in 1895. He claimed to have seen the pilot of Christopher Columbus ship the Pinta. Slocum claimed that the Pilot steered his boat through inclement weather while he lay sick from food poisoning (Psychology Today).
Solitude is totally different. It has the potential of a very positive effect. It means finding a secluded or uninhabited place. Sometimes in our journey with grief we need time for reflection and a time for rest. Sometimes our mind and our body need rest because of fatigue. For rejuvenation to occur, we often need to give ourselves time. I know clients in the past who disliked the word ‘time.’ No, it is not that time heals all wounds, but it is a vital factor in healing. During this period of solitude, it affords the opportunity to plan what one should or need to do now. That is the reflection. Our lives may be hugely different today than they were yesterday, and thus we need time to ponder, “What do I do now?” Taking time periodically for solitude can also afford us the opportunity to rebuild anew our life that is radically changed from what it used to be.
We all need times of solitude. It is a choice we make. It is a responsibility we have to ourselves. Sometimes it is just to rest from exhaustion; other times it may to seek wisdom and advice through prayer. Whatever our need is, knowing we are not alone that help is near brings much comfort and strength.
This is Sunrise Aftercare, sunrise@sfdcares.com.
