Jasmine Nicole

Solitude. When I think of that word, it drums up visions of peace for me. I think of alone time and moments by myself. For the record, I love being by myself. I also think of silent gratitude. It’s because of the way the word sounds to me and I’m not sure about the actual word breakdown but that’s what I think of.

When I need solitude, I have to be creative and create it. I’m a single mother, so I don’t have the luxury of going somewhere to be alone. I use my hobbies as solitude because it’s time I’m taking to grow as a person.

So when I need solitude, one thing I turn to is books. Books are so amazing in the sense that when I read, it feels like I have left my world and have entered another. I’m reading so there’s the presence of the characters and their lives, so it’s not exactly solitude. The book I’m reading provides an outlet for me to have time for myself. To me, that’s solitude.

I also use time to create solitude. My most precious entity is time, and I find solitude in the early mornings and late evenings. It’s in those moments when my daughter has just fallen asleep or is still sleeping that I cherish and get to breathe.

Solitude is when I get to reflect and do those things that belong only to me. I get to be selfish and not feel guilty about it.