Loneliness/ solitude

Language... has created the word "loneliness" to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word "solitude" to express the glory of being alone.
~Paul Johannes Tillich, The Eternal Now


Enjoying solitude is one of the most exquisite experiences in our lives. Instead we complain about lack of companionship. Lost among the labyrinth of life we assume functioning similar to a metronome. We repudiate opportunities of solitude and embrace the fastidious lifestyle. Why is there an assumption that solitude can be enjoyed only at a matured age? Is it because more than half our life is spent and we can ponder over mistakes done, dream about undoing them and clear our conscience? Solitude is not to be wasted brooding over past.
You are alone on a certain Sunday afternoon. The arabesques decorated over the ceiling catch your eye and you wonder at their intricate design. You look at each leaf of the design and appreciate the creator of that thing of beauty. It reminds you of nothing and nobody. A train of thoughts is not followed. A languor smile is seen over your face and emits a kind of soporific effect. That is solitude- glory of being alone.