I am a recluse. Not all the time, but the potential is always lying in wait, hoping for the moment when I’ll be on vacation and then it leaps forth and swallows me whole.
I don’t know why it is. But it has been proven repeatedly for many years.
When I’m not dragged out into the light of day by my job, I slip into my home and savour the quiet and the solitude. I stop answering emails, I barely answer the phone. I’m short and abrupt and usually manage to keep to any pre-arranged event attendance but make new plans? Yeah, no.
I consider it reclusion, not seclusion, because I still go out into the world, there are usually a few things that must be done, but I have difficulty enjoying it.
I have become hermit.
And I like it. It feels so good. Except for the guilt. I feel that I should be out, doing, being, talking, sharing. But to be at home, or alone in the woods, just being or reading or writing or doing. It’s bliss.
Are you a recluse? Or a seclusion lover? Or is your world best when it is filled with other people?
~Abysmal Witch
All I have to say is holy crap….. I’m at the same place in my life and was blogging about that a few weeks back. I’ve had it mentioned that it might be because I’m croneing except for one little thing…. I’ve been feeling reclusive on and off for most of my life and the only reason I didn’t was because I had kids. They are grown and the temptation is even greater. There are books to read, magic to learn, a secret garden with housing to create and solitude to enjoy, by a lake or a stream beneath a pine tree, oh and there must be roses, as wild as they may be. LOL… This really hit home, thank you.
You are so welcome, and thank you for pointing out I’m not the only one. 🙂 And yes, there absolutely must be roses.
I love the term seclusion lover. I’m with Ember. I am perfectly happy being with myself and never get bored. Really nice post.
wow
I felt such a connection with your post, it looked you were describing me …
I even share the guilt. suposedly we should socialize with zillions of friends , partying all night long and so on… but as you say at home just being or reading or writing or doing. It’s bliss indeed.
Yes, indeedy .. fellow hermit here!
Loved the way you described it .. like a kind of guilty secret, which is exactly how it feels. Kind of indulgent. Love my son and husband and friends to bits, but I need a certain amount of time on my tod, doing my thing, quietly, alone (and, mostly, at home!)
This post reminds me very heavily of the Hermit tarot card. Very nice to read. I am in the same boat as you, Thank you for sharing with us.
Heh… here, here… me as well. You can dress me up, and I will go out, but I won’t like it… especially when the rains come… which up this way, is… a lot.
Same here as well. I feel guilty about not talking to my friends for sometimes days, sad when I find I was the last to know about x thing. But I truly love the solitude of my little chunk of the woods.
thank you for sharing