Solitude

by Christy Monson

As wives and mothers we have many people wanting our attention—asking us for this or that, or needing help with an immediate task. I give and give until my water bucket is empty. I must take time to fill it:

Read a good book.

Watch a funny movie.

Enjoy time with a friend.

Get enough sleep.

Let someone else cook dinner.

I'm sure you can think of many other ways.

These ideas all work, but for me to truly replenish myself, I need some time alone.

I never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude. Henry David Thoreau

When do you carve out your time of seclusion? 

Mine is early in the morning before the household wakes to begin their day. As the dawn brightens the earth, I awake to my moments of inspiration.

It's a talking-to-God time. It's a listening-to-the-Spirit time. It's a sorting-things-out-in-my-mind time. It's a step-back-and-look-at-the-big-picture time.

I love the  insight that washes over me during these refreshing moments. If I'm working on a new story, this is the time my ideas come. This is when the plot development and character development occurs. 

One can be instructed in society, one is inspired only in solitude. Goethe

When my bucket is full, I arise to read my scriptures to set the tone for my day, and I'm ready to roll.

 Where and when do you find your moments of inspiration?