by Canadian poet Tanya Davis ©2009
There is a young adult author who a couple of months ago started a book promotion asking authors and others to Tweet what they’d say to their thirteen-year-old selves, if they could pick up the phone and call them. It was clever and a lot of people started thinking of what they might say… we think we would leave this poem somewhere for our former selves to see.
Even now, there’s a feeling of guilt that comes to those who realize they prefer to stand at the edge of the room, at the back of the crowd, in the stacks at the library where no one can see them. Introverts might love people in general — and specific people as well, but also want to close themselves in a room with only a single window and a chair some days. It is a gift not to be worried by this, and to learn to seek time to oneself in order to breathe.
Solitude, in its myriad forms, is highly underrated.
I saw this a few days ago on the net and loved this poem. It was so well performed too by the author.
Ohhhh. That was so nice! I used to spend quite a bit of time alone. Before kids. It was as necessary as breathing. These days I find it hard to find a bit of time alone and miss it.
Solitude is definitely underrated. Love this — thanks for the inspiration. So needed!