Solitude and Isolation

During her visit, especially on rainy days, as we trudged down the road in deep mud, my mom expressed her concern that, out here in the woods with a baby, I would become isolated. Isolation seems to be a common fear when people look at our lifestyle and I can understand why: we live at least 20 minutes from a town of any real size, at the end of a long driveway, on a rough dirt road. We are surrounded by woods and stars and silence.

With all that, I don't see isolation threatening. Isolation, in most cases, has less to do with location than attitude - it involves a choice on the part of the individual to remove himself not only physically, but completely from his communities; or a choice on the part of the community to cut out the individual from their circle. When the individual is blessed, as my husband and I are. to be able to consider ourselves a part of many communities, even the rejection of one community would not be enough to force us into isolation, and thankfully so many of our friends understand that the joy we find in the peace and solitude of our land is not a rejection of good company, but a way in which we can refresh in ourselves the joy of hospitality.

I was comforted in being able to express this to my mom and ease her concerns. It is a different way of life, and we certainly see less of others than she does in her daily life; but seeing less of people doesn't damage my ability to enjoy these relationships, it makes me better able to appreciate them for what they are.