Member-only story
The real gift
Embracing Solitude
Sometimes, it means being free.
You know that hollow feeling when you’re alone? That silence that feels too loud? Yeah, I used to know it well. Too well.
There was a time when being alone terrified me. I’d turn the TV on just for background noise, imagine to call anyone who might pick up, or scroll endlessly through social media. Anything to escape that quiet.
Then life happened. A tough life, moving to a new country. Husband working for long hours. I was left alone with my son. Suddenly, solitude wasn’t a choice — it was my reality.
The First Days those initial days were the hardest.
Friday nights felt endless. Sundays? They stretched like years, with get-togethers, pool dinners, tiring, cleaning, and winding up. On Monday’s, I’d watch people walking in pairs outside my window, feeling like I was missing out on some secret everyone else knew.
The Breaking Point One rainy Saturday, no mobile phones, no Wi-Fi those days. No distractions. Just me, a cup of tea, my son playing with his favorite toy car, and the sound of rain. I remember sitting there, feeling the panic rise, and then, something unexpected happened.
I listened to the rain. Really listened. I noticed how my tea steam curled in the air. I felt my own breath. And slowly, very slowly, the silence started to feel less like an enemy.
The Small Discoveries In the quiet, I started finding pieces of myself I’d forgotten:
- The joy of reading an entire book in one sitting
- How much I love humming while cooking new recipes
- The peace of early morning walks with my 2 year old son
- The satisfaction of solving a problem on my own
- Resumed my stitching skills
