Member-only story
Do You Have A Love Affair With Solitude?
Why The Holiday Season Needs More Grinches
I’ll tell you this short story, and you’ll probably think I’m a total downer, one of those curmudgeons destined to become a crabby old man when I hit my sixties. I don’t see myself as that way, but I won’t lie. Sometimes, I crave solitude. A familiar holiday scene played out in my neighborhood last night. It reminded me of my love affair with solitude.
I heard the voices outside our neighbor’s house. I snapped to attention.
“Quick,” I said to my wife. “Turn off the porch light. Close the blinds in the living room. Lower the television volume.”
“Huh,” she said.
“There are carolers next door.”
“You’re crazy.”
Yes, I went through all that trouble to make sure they would bypass our house. And thanks to my efforts, they spared us the self-indulgent holiday cheer. Note, I don’t really think of it as self-indulgent, but in my disquieted state of mind I couldn’t help but think of it that way.
Here’s the thing.
It was 8:30 at night. It was a long day. The kids had just gone to bed. I had just poured myself a glass of red wine and readied myself for a relaxing hour or two to unwind before bed. Plus, I’m an…
