O hidden Life, vibrant in every atom,
O hidden Light, shining in every creature.
O hidden Love, embracing all in oneness,
May all who feel themselves as one with Thee,
Know they are therefore one with every other.
~ Besant
Solitude is a return to one's own self when the world has become filled with people and too much of a response to others. Solitude is as much an intrinsic desire in us as our gregariousness. Hermits, solitary thinkers, independent spirits, recluses, although often stigmatized in the modern world, are healthy expressions of our dialogue with ourself.