One common phrase I hear people say all the time is, "I don't want to be alone." Whether they are talking about friendships, romantic relationships, or just being alone in general, everyone kind of paints being alone as a sign of failure, which could not be further from the truth in my mind. From what I have heard and seen from other people and social media, the terms 'loneliness' and 'alone' tend to be blurred together with a similar meaning more often than not. For me, being alone is a calm time of peace for a better understanding of self, so I do not consider myself lonely when I am physically by myself.

In hindsight, it makes sense that I don't have much trouble being all by myself the way some of my friends and relatives do because I am an only child. I am used to finding ways to entertain myself when there is no one else around. As a kid, I had Barbie dolls and books to occupy my time. Nowadays, I have eighties movie marathons and writing to keep me busy and fulfilled. Sometimes, my loved ones seem concerned at the idea of me being by myself at times, but I always find alone time to be a sacred necessity of my life from time to time. After all, there are moments where every busy person feels overwhelmed and just wants a few minutes to be alone and clear their head, and there is nothing wrong or shameful about that.

Although my previous statements lean towards the introverted side of the introvert/extrovert debate, I would like to pronounce that I am neither fully one or the other. I love going out with my friends or seeing a movie with my momma. I get cabin fever just like anyone else when I feel cooped up for too long. Getting out into the world opens my mind and heart to new people and experiences, yet I still say that anyone can occasionally feel alone in a crowd.

Being alone for small occasions like having a quiet lunch to myself is something I will forever treasure for the blessed peace it brings to me. Loneliness comes in so many shapes and sizes; it is not limited to when a person is all by themselves. Being alone is more about being physically away from others in my mind, so I choose to embrace the terms for what they are and cherish the thought of my own company in solitude along with the company of others.