[reflection]: solitudes' purposes

We often thought about solitude as something that has unnatural means of interaction with self, or in a state of 'deep spirituality'. I am not too sure if that works in different places in the world, but it certainly worked thus back here. We are too often concerned about the state of 'constant get-together' concept that 'every weekends are spent with friends and family'. Hardly you see things outside whereby people are alone most of the time. Even if they do, there is a high chance that they were having appointments somewhere, and they are commuting public transport to get there.

Well, not so much of a bad thing, but we often forget the significance of reflecting about things, and taking serious notes about the character we have. I don't mean this to be something productive. Instead, it could be an idea that is 'counter-productive' in the human sense for our current generation. You may need to spend time in silence, thinking about things in life that probably could be random and very much dispersed. You may not be concentrating on simple things, but of extremely complex ideas that may have taken much toll on what you can handle alone. In the end, the effort might not only be 'counter-productive' but also being sublimed by the 'lack of improvement' from where you begin.

Somehow, I wondered if making a difference in that moment really matter that much.

We are given several decades of living. If we were to expect ourselves to be a better person (or a more improved person) within a couple of decades, then what is there for us to live for the remaining years? Sure there will be new struggles, but having we thought about this primarily more akin towards excuse than root reasons? If there are things in life that 'rudely' come over us expecting us some form of 'action-result' combination, are we to immediately have them solved?

I read an article from Henri Nouwen that challenged me a lot - and brought me down to think hard about being in solitude and being 'slow' in the process of getting things done. Sometimes, in real life, God actually hinted on moments where it is necessary to remind His sovereignty instead of our pathetic lordship.

Henri suggested that perhaps we are so consumed with the culture of 'living in the fullest with people around' that we often meet up every day, every week, and hopefully every moment to talk, share and rant about things. Definitely in the Christian culture, this is commendable. In fact in the early churches people often meet up and be in fellowship with one another. The meal partaken symbolically represents the reminder that we are the body, not 'stand-alone'. However, Henri urged to have moments where we could hone the moment of 'solitude', and put melancholy in life to reflect about things. It would do good to remain in silence for a while. Imagining that might actually surprisingly let God come into the midst and speak to us. That seems to put a definition on prayer, doesn't it?

Further down the article I was quite embarrassed when the article pushed through the notion of 'productive' and insist on doing things 'counter-productive'. Sometimes, we often want to get things done, without understanding the after-effect of our entire being being physically and mentally fatigue later on, not realizing that the effort itself also took a toll over our spiritual state. Merely compartmentalizing will not help to see how every of our effort meant anything to the entire being. There hence, Henri suggested to see that all things worked for the greater good of what God purposes in our lives. So, rather than trying to push too much for getting things done, when there is a season for being 'slow', why not take that time to be 'slow' and 'reflect' about things in life?

Food for thought, perhaps.