As an only child, I was alone a lot. Notnecessarily because I was antisocial or introverted, but for logistical reasons: rather than there being five, ten, or four people in my home, there were only three, and I was the only kid.

Whatever I did without my friends would be done with one or both of my parents, or by myself. And it happened a lot. It wasn't weird, sad, difficult, or awkward. It was my life. I didn't know anything different.

Regarding mealtimes, the same rationale applied. It was three, two, or one.

One. Yes.

During high school, especially, if my parents were not home, I would eat all by myself. And I would like to argue that this was not a bad thing.

There's something very special about alone time. Everybody knows that.

But lunch and dinner are generally not conceived as the times in which this alone time occurs.

I've found there's a bit of a stigma attached to it.

"Why is that older man eating alone? That's so sad. Maybe he's a widower."

"I wonder if she's lonely. It's so sad she's eating alone."

"Ugh, he's so weird, he always eats alone."

"Please come with me, so I don't have to eat alone."

"I'll stay with you. I don't want you to eat alone!"

I've heard a variation of all of these before, and honestly, I've thought them myself.

So here is my defense of eating alone.

As an activity that is often done with another person or in a group, I would argue that eating alone makes you more independent.

Eating alone makes you seem like you don't really care what's going on with the rest of the world, and sometimes that's a good thing. Eating alone makes it seem like you don't have an obsessive fear of missing out, and are content with your own company.

It makes it seem like you don't need to run with a crowd, you don't need validation all of the time, and you can handle yourself.

Perhaps, you are at one with the world.

What I've learned from eating alone is the importance of these things. It is important to be content with no one's presence but your own. It is important detox, relax, and quiet yourself.

It's a good time to reflect and revitalize not only your physical state of being, but your mental state as well.

You can read, write, or draw.

You can listen to music, catch up on some TV, or stare into space.

It's a good opportunity to think, even if not a whole lot comes to mind. You can dwell deep in your imagination or just skim the surface.

The world demands nothing of you. So, detach for a while.

Maybe turn off your phone, or just put it aside. Don't think too hard about other people. You're more important. The social networks will be there when you've finished your meal.

See, in a way, when you eat alone, you let the world go on without you. You step aside for a minute and your impact becomes negligible.

And I would argue that it's important to do this every once in a while in a generation where every last person is encouraging you to be a hero. You still can be. Just finish eating first.

Because sometimes the view from a table for one, from the counter in your apartment, the tiny cafe around the corner, or the high-end restaurant in the city, is the better view, the more informative and objective view.

So if ever you were wondering... it's okay to eat alone. You need to get away sometimes.

And the world will still be there when you get back.