The Beauty of Solitude

        What is the sweetest of all sounds? I know not what others may say in response to this question, but my answer is clear: silence is the sweetest of sounds. For as long as I can remember, I have tried to avoid parties, concerts, crowds and all other sources of overpowering noise. My mother still believes that "something is wrong with me," but I know that I prefer minimally stimulating environments largely because I find respite in silence. The world is bustling and loud, the cities and the people often ill at ease. Noise and distractions abound. When my environment prevents me from being able to think, I try to escape it as soon as possible. In my times of solitude, I consider and analyze my actions and interactions with others, and I value those moments because they provide me with insight into myself and the people around me. It is fitting that I write this today having recently read No Exit and considered my personal Hell, because I can now safely conclude that at least two things would constitute eternal damnation for me:

A. Having absolutely no outlet for my thoughts and ideas. If I were to be limited only to what I could hold in my mind at a given moment, lacking the freedom to write or to speak to myself or others, I would gradually drive myself mad.

B. Having to spend eternity in an environment where I could not put together a meaningful thought for the amount of noise around me. I went to a Chicago concert in Florida last year, and, entertaining as it was, the noise level was absolutely unbearable. My ears were in pain and my mind felt absolutely violated. The music stopped existing as art, and became only SOUND. The only thought I could put together was "I WANT OUT!!!"

To conclude, in solitude I find silence. In silence I find the freedom to think and write clearly, unhindered by my environment. I gain perspective, becoming able to abstract from my experience and draw conclusions about the indirect results of my actions on myself and others. The manner in which I analyze my life and my social interactions is key to maintaining my sanity and getting me out of bed to go about my day every weekday morning. Without the silence that comes with solitude, I would wilt mentally, because until I evaluate everything at day's end, my life is little more than raw input. Solitude keeps me stable, content and determined to plow forward.