Alone But Not Lonely

In today's fast paced society, we've become accustomed to filling the eeriness of silence with fluff. We turn to many distractions as a means of escaping feelings of idleness or boredom. But the main thing we wish to elude is loneliness. Solitude does not have to alienating or lonesome. In fact, solitude and loneliness are distinctly separate.

The death of a loved one or the inability to find people who understand you can leave you feeling isolated. Webster's dictionary plainly describes loneliness as "being without companions. It's natural to experience an emptiness while longing for love or acceptance. Loneliness is therefore an emotive state that can be experienced whether or not one is physically alone.

It was Geoffrey F. Fisher who said, "In cities no one is quiet but many are lonely; in the country, people are quiet but few are lonely. We tend to fill loneliness with all types of distractions. For example, some single women would rather spend a Friday night with a man they have no genuine interest in, than spend the night alone. They long for a way of killing time while they await the man they are actually seeking. Then there are young adults who are involved in cliques where they can't really relate to their companions. However, they would rather feel accepted on a superficial level than risk feeling outcast. So what is it about being alone that scares us?

Do not be spooked by the unfamiliarity of silence. Silence can be an amazing thing. It teaches you how to truly listen. It teaches you to pay attention to what's going on inside of you. Only when we are alone, can we have the space and peace we need to think without being outwardly influenced. It therefore becomes easier to make important decisions as well as identify whatever feelings are culminating within.

Get in touch with yourself so that you can make conscious decisions rather than simply react to emotions. Appreciate the time you have to yourself. Let the peace and understanding you find better equip you for the commotion of today's world.

Denni Gill is an up-and-coming Canadian poet.
www.urban-eden.org chronicles her own spiritual growth.
Feedback may be sent to denni@urban-eden.org.

MORE RESOURCES:

500 $1 return airfares for inspirational Kiwis - Scoop.co.nz (press release)

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0810/S00122.htmcid=0ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNFT9rqpvIyEsw6c7JPIHLMgVYauDw500 $1 return airfares for binspirational/b Kiwis/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fScoop.co.nz (press release),nbsp;New Zealandnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Well, we want to show our Aussie friends what makes us Kiwis special by giving away 500 $1 return fares to binspirational/b Kiwis making a difference in our b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

A ball of inspirational predictability - Surrey Now

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/arts/story.html%3Fid%3Dbfc80b36-53d0-45d0-9f8c-8696448b90efcid=1255039742ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNEJmNi1c2NoVSAPX2WA5rdrAmIi5wimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=jC1jmCg4OYkJimgurl=a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/5f4aa900-9e28-4adf-a6a3-afa5261ed237/express.jpg%3Fsize%3Dl width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Vancouver Sun/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.canada.com/surreynow/news/whatson/story.html%3Fid%3Dd1e67b7b-a2d4-47fd-a143-e4b599cfc116cid=1255039742ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNFRjiwAMMYHsswt1mddGdwMJ2bPXgA ball of binspirational/b predictability/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSurrey Now,nbsp; Canadanbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b Gary Fleder#39;s extensive use of close-ups. bInspirational/b? Check. Predictable? Yep. But The Express is a safe bet for sports fans and non-cynics alike./fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-1fd=Rurl=http://www.dailyherald.com/story/%3Fid%3D241604cid=1255039742ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNE_Gywnla2vcOkhEW0kqA-dmnNAMgFootball drama a genuine binspirational/b tale/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrChicago Daily Herald/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-2fd=Rurl=http://www.boxofficeprophets.com/tickermaster/listing.cfm%3FtmID%3D2818cid=1255039742ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNGpZDAqjga6dMPqjr5cXIXev9tiZwThe Express/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBox Office Prophets/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-3fd=Rurl=http://www.ecollegetimes.com/news/2008/10/09/Movies/Review.The.Express-3479781.shtmlcid=1255039742ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNFUsIF_GD7od5pfDbxjXK-lAWL8wwReview: The Express/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCollege Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-4fd=Rurl=http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5893/768/cid=1255039742ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNEfn9-OQrFIibwFROOvA462578HIwnobrLake County News/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-5fd=Rurl=http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/custom/today/bal-to.express10oct10,0,3109342.storycid=1255039742ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNEdMBbP2uwwasxM7pzr8Di-F5ja0wnobrBaltimore Sun/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255039742hl=ennobrall 467 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Marriage supporters#39; fundraiser brings inspirational film ... - Sioux Falls Argus Leader

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081011/LIFE/810110312/1004cid=0ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNGRwmEKmtexMNtYwshW4poBTtShbQMarriage supporters#39; fundraiser brings binspirational/b film b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSioux Falls Argus Leader,nbsp;SDnbsp;-/font nobr23 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Moviegoers can credit a group interested in promoting healthy marriages for bringing the binspirational/b movie quot;Fireproofquot; to Sioux Falls for a weeklong b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

A new generation of icky, angsty, inspirational books for teens ... - Calgary Herald

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/swerve/story.html%3Fid%3D4f48bffb-c488-47e1-99bc-032d457c352ecid=0ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNH01EDsefJ6vAGS9v1bFx1Zqu6gxwA new generation of icky, angsty, binspirational/b books for teens b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCalgary Herald,nbsp; Canadanbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Hunter S. Thompson In high school my best buddy Gavin and I fancied ourselves literary snobs. We read Dostoevsky--he was our favourite--and Tolstoy and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

#39;Inspirational#39; Blackburn mum-of-seven dies, 34 - Lancashire Telegraph

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/3748208._Inspirational__Blackburn_mum_of_seven_dies__34/cid=0ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNHeA1EJr3I0B045mq2ZDCOUZKG7mQ#39;bInspirational/b#39; Blackburn mum-of-seven dies, 34/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLancashire Telegraph,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr23 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Catherine Pye » Four weeks ago she was given six months to live. Charmaine had drawn up a wish list of things she wanted to do with her final days, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Inspirational Speaker Teaches Students the Value of “Zing!” - St. John's University

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://www.stjohns.edu/academics/pr_aca_081010.stjcid=0ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNFmRH_HGk4N37okoN2bO9bRP8YK5gbInspirational/b Speaker Teaches Students the Value of “Zing!”/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSt. John's University,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b Your Influence and was featured in the motivational speaker compilation Lessons from the Road: bInspirational/b Insights by Leading Speakers in Education. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

#39;Without a Quarter in My Pocket#39;: New Memoir Chronicles Cuban ... - MarketWatch

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/without-quarter-my-pocket-new/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B7C5AD198-AAD6-412F-ADE8-009ABF5FBDE2%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255491471ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNGlNT840xpS_E4BQC7G06X5MVaa5g#39;Without a Quarter in My Pocket#39;: New Memoir Chronicles Cuban b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobrOct 8, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1SALEM, Ill., Oct 08, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Dr. Secundino E. Rubio#39;s life is a series of binspirational/b stories. From his childhood in pre-Castro b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Pink Is Back And It#39;s The Colour Of Courage And Beating Breast Cancer - Glasgow Daily Record

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/health/3144279/Dont-tell-me-how-I-should-feel-about-my-breast-cancer.htmlcid=1255048041ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNEdj2pY6_V6JVjzWeeoI_3G5MYAQgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=3GaTKlNg4FAJimgurl=www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01004/judith_milner_canc_1004425c.jpg width=80 height=50 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Telegraph.co.uk/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/comment/columnists/lifestyle-columnists/kaye-adams/2008/10/11/pink-is-back-and-it-s-the-colour-of-courage-and-beating-breast-cancer-86908-20793365/cid=1255048041ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNH4MY0it7QoQD4lzEogZeV4OLrWsQPink Is Back And It#39;s The Colour Of Courage And Beating Breast Cancer/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fGlasgow Daily Record,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1It is the colour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a brilliant concept which puts breast cancer high on the public agenda but in a positive, binspirational/b b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-1fd=Rurl=http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081010/LIVING/81009025/1004cid=1255048041ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNGc3d5_JyxwdA_PoUrKXHY0ttkrswFight against breast cancer/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBurlingtonFreePress.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255048041hl=ennobrall 74 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Demure look for inspirational Helen - The Press Association

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-0fd=Rurl=http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jFR4b_x9lQIQO8tJg_TmOKWyq_JAcid=1255308338ei=UJrxSOnQDqDM8ATXicHEBwusg=AFQjCNFOoDaCBOsp7XQrbkuA6BZ7Sc7m3gDemure look for binspirational/b Helen/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Press Associationnbsp;-/font nobrOct 8, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Actress Dame Helen Mirren looked unusually demure when she collected an award for her fashion sense. Dame Helen, who is known for her love of revealing b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Inspirational - Google News

RELATED ARTICLES

Anam Chara - Living A Life Of Value
Much of our lives we spend comparing what "me" has with what "you" has. Usually this is to the detriment of "me.

Even the Smallest Sound
You are probably in front of your computer screen at this very moment, reading every word I have written.So.

To Thine Own Self
Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 6, 2004Someone gave me a bit of advice, and I'm doing my best to get my head wrapped around it, trying to understand and comprehend and translate it into my own life. What does it mean to "follow your own heart"?LisaLisa, Dante's "Divine Comedy" opens with the author saying, "Midway in the journey of our life, I found myself in a dark wood, for the straightforward path had been lost.

My Journey
I believe it's important for you to develop a mission statement for your life; one that is unique and articulates your values, goals, dreams; how you want to live.Your mission statement is a living, breathing testimony of the life you are committed to living.

Alone But Not Lonely
In today's fast paced society, we've become accustomed to filling the eeriness of silence with fluff. We turn to many distractions as a means of escaping feelings of idleness or boredom.

Motivational Posters - A Source Of Inspiration?
What Inspires You? What motivates you to get up in the morning? Are you one of those people who have a burning desire to achieve something or are you drifting along doing your daily routine? This is something you may not have put much attention on or even any at all but, if you look closely, you may find that there may have been one or more people who have inspired you in your life.Any person who has been successful at something will tell you something like, my grandma always said?or my dad always gave me the best advice, or someone once said to me?! Get the picture?Words can be very powerful in influencing our lives.

Forgiveness
"If unresolved anger is a toxin to the spirit, forgiveness is the antidote." - Brian L.

Anchors Away!
If we want to fill our heads with the doom and gloom society seems to thrive on, all we need to do is turn on the local news at night. To make that quantum leap toward personal happiness and success in life, sometimes we just need to do what so many people seem to be talking about lately: clean house and take personal inventory of the people we associate with most.

Songs of Life
I imagine when we die we find out how in-tune with our hearts we should have been. Not an easy thing to do with all our mere mortal vices getting in the way.

What Does Faith Have To Do With Marketing?
No, this isn't going to be a sermon or anything ? don't worry about that! I'm no preacher, so I wouldn't even think of trying; but what I do have is faith in myself and faith in the fact that I can be successful on the internet.Now, I'm not talking about your regular, everyday take-it-for-granted-because-I-can-do-it" faith in yourself.

When Human Beings Take It To The Limit
In life we all have dreams and goals, aspirations to follow a certain path that will lead to social achievements and personal growth. We all hope to fulfill a destiny where we can put all of our efforts into one activity or more that helps the world in one way or another.

My Life With Furniture
These days, I find the lines are blurred between school and Real Life. Student life often means spending a cozy evening with your computer or heading to the boardroom for an on-site lesson.

Have a Green Day, Every Day!
Green symbolises growth. Growth requires change and transformation.

Weapons of Mass Distraction
Anything that draws one away from the business of living and being worthy - such as drugs, alcohol, distractions of all descriptions, and sleep when the intent is oblivion, not to mention the idea of killing oneself - is a means of escaping, a little death, and death itself is the ultimate escape.Anything can be a means of avoiding problems.

Persistency - Element In Reality
One of the keys to being successful in anything you do is persistence. Lets clarify the word 'persistence' :- It is ability to be persist on instances.

A Bad Move
Direct Answers - Column for the week of April 7, 2003My husband is a wonderful man, we are in our thirties, well-educated and fairly affluent. However, his mother has been a stumbling block in our relationship from the start.

Dont Die With Your Dreams Still Inside You
I write and talk a lot about dreams. Primarily because I know�we serve an awesome and amazing God, who gave us dreams for an awesome and amazing purpose.

The Meaning of Life
Life ?..

Living Authentically in a Masked World
Humanity seems to be the only species that never seems pleased with its own. People tend to spend the majority of their life living up to an illusion that no one has ever been able to attain.

Begin With the End In Mind - Tips to Make Your Life More Meaningful
What would you change if you knew you would be dead in 1 day? Would you spend more time at work, pouring over budget figures, and trying to figure out how you were going to make this quarter's numbers? Would you read just 1 more e-mail from a complaining co-worker? Would you check your voicemail one last time? What would your obituary say about your life?If you're like me, I'd bet you wouldn't do anything work-related. In fact, I would bet you would see if there was any way to extend that 1 day into 6 months or more, because there is SO much you have yet to accomplish.