Our most solitary moments can, paradoxically, be those in which we feel most connected—to ancestors, to tradition, to a community of faith, to a sense of the Holy. Being solitary is very different from being alone.
When have you experienced a deep sense of connection although no one you knew was around?
I feel that connection when I am alone in a natural setting, such as on a trail at a state park.
My sense of connection when I am alone is through classical music; even without some one near, I can and do commune not only with the musicians and the conductor but also with the composer. In addition, I feel the presence of those who are far away or have listened to that same music in the same performance. I feel there is a strong, intense but wonderful pull on me of being part of all humanity.