"Solitude does not necessarily mean living apart from others; rather, it means never living apart from one's self. It is not about the absence of other people -- it is about being fully present to ourselves, whether or not we are with others. Community does not necessarily mean living face-to-face with others; rather, it means never losing the awareness that we are connected to each other. It is not about the presence of other people -- it is about being fully open to the reality of relationship, whether or not we are alone."
~Parker J. Palmer in A Hidden Wholeness
This puts a whole new spin on solitude and community for me. You?
Oh yeah!
ReplyDeleteMich
indeed.
ReplyDeleteI was feeling so awful today about myself and my life (which is very solitary) but then (once again) I open your blog and find a post that speaks deeply to me. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm thinking that this is a book that I may need to investigate further. :) thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeletei'm so glad you're reading this. i enjoyed it so much. it truly could only be written by someone who is so in touch with himself and has lived so fully in a gentle community.
ReplyDeletethanks for the reminder!