Seven Days of Solitude?

Occasionally, I like to visit the website, Creative Writing Prompts, which has 346 numbered writing prompts.  At the site you can point your cursor at a random number and then write about whatever the prompt brings to your mind, or browse through the numbers until you find one that you particularly like.  For this post, I randomly chose prompt #339 which is, "Write about 5 things you would do to entertain yourself if you did not see a soul for 7 days."

My first reaction to this prompt was to laugh and think, "Only five?" because I can easily amuse myself if I am left alone.  My problem would NOT be in finding things to entertain myself, it would be in limiting my choices and narrowing it down to just five.  I am, for the most part, a lone wolf, in the sense that quite often I prefer solitude and enjoy working alone.  I am much better able to focus on what is at hand and feel more creative without the distraction of others around.  This is not to say I don't enjoy the company of others and interacting with them. Sometimes the creativity of other people sparks creativity in me and inspires me too.  I really enjoy playing off the ideas of others, but I don't at all mind being alone either.    

I think this is an interesting prompt for another reason too.  Basically, it made me think if someone were to hand me a block of time that I could use just for me, for the things I wanted to do and accomplish, what things would I want to do?  Like many people, I feel I spend so much time doing the necessary things in life that there is little time left over for the fun things---the things you want to do just because they make you happy, the things you dream about and wish for.  It often seems that I spend so much time working at the library, doing necessary tasks around the house (laundry, cleaning, cooking, paying bills, taking care of my family and pets, etc.), visiting my mom, attending church, going to various social functions, and tending to numerous other duties, responsibilities, and chores, that there is precious little time left over to do the things that I want to do for myself.

As for the five things I would do to entertain myself if I didn't see anyone else for seven days, I came up with five rather broad categories.  I am going to eliminate the subject of doing anything on the internet for the purpose of this writing because although when online, I don't actually "see" anyone, I do interact and socialize with others through email and blogs and so on, so I am counting that as being with others.  I am also limiting this to things which I can do within my own house, because obviously if I go outside, I am likely to encounter other people.  Finally, I am not going to include things like clean the attic or organize the kitchen cupboards in this list because those things are not entertaining to me.  They may be things I need or should get done, but they are not things I really look forward to or want to do with my time.

First on my list would be to write.  By this, I mean more than just the occasional blog post.  I have several writing projects that I'd like to devote more time to.  Most require large blocks of time without interruption or distractions which I seldom seem to have.  If I had seven days of solitude handed to me when I could do whatever I wanted to do, writing would definitely be a part of that.  Some of these projects are bigger and ongoing or in progress and in need of organization.  Others are just mere ideas in my head or notes scribbled on bits of paper that I'm saving for "someday."

Secondly, and going hand in hand with writing, I would like to just sit and read.  I have literally shelves and shelves of books and stacks of magazines that I would like to read.  I'll never read all of what I have, but I wouldn't mind it at all if I could have more free time to devote to reading and see if I could make my way through even a small portion of what I have collected here.

Enjoying more music would be the third item on my list.  I would like to spend some time listening not only to the music that I already know and love, but also to new music that I haven't heard yet.  When you are part of a family, you share everything including the noise that fills the air in your living space.  Whether that "noise" is from a television, a video game, an instrument being played, a radio playing, songs on a compact disc, shared conversations, or most rare of all---simple silence, you must take turns and share that right to listen or not listen to and contribute to and choose what noise or lack thereof fills the air.  Often when I would prefer to listen to music that I like or perhaps to play music that I like on the piano, someone else wishes to watch TV or play a video game or listen to music of their own choosing.  When you are part of a family, everything is a give and take situation.  If I were alone for seven days, though, I would definitely be enjoying more of the music that I like whether I were listening to a recording of someone else performing it or playing it myself on the piano.

Fourth on my list would be allowing myself more time for physical exercise.  I prefer to go for a walk outside if the weather is so that I can, but if I were to remain inside my house for seven days, I would still feel the need to exercise.  Indoor activities that I like include yoga, pilates, using the Wii fit board, and dancing (of course!).  So often, when my days are filled with other things, exercise is the first thing to go out the window.  I don't like it when that happens. I feel better when I exercise.  It helps me relax and deal with stress, and it gives me energy.  I would want to give myself the gift of more exercise if I were left in solitude for seven days in a row.

Last on my list of five ways I would entertain myself if I didn't see another soul for seven days is that I would watch a few movies on DVD.  That probably seems like a rather mundane thing to do, but I rarely do it when there are others here.  When other members of my family are here, the TV is generally tuned into a sports show or some other program that I don't care for or movies are being watched that aren't particularly my cup of tea.  It is rare that I get the chance to watch one of those "romantic comedies about a poet who falls in love with a florist" as my husband likes to refer to them.  Yes, I know many of them are predictable and idyllic, but when I watch a movie, I want to escape reality for a while.  Romantic comedies provide that escape into a world of safety where you can find a few things to laugh about and there is always a happy ending.  Real life, unfortunately, is not always safe and often does not have a happy ending.  Those types of movies allow me to believe in that fantasy, at least for a little while.

So those are some of the things I would want to do with my time if I were given seven days of solitude.  Writing this makes me think I should organize my life and schedule my time better to allow myself to enjoy these activities more often.  It's not like I want to fly to the moon.  These are simple things that feed my soul and my spirit and that give me joy.  I said at the beginning of the year that I wanted to more actively practice kindness.  I think it is all right when practicing kindness to others to also be kind to one's own self.  Time to do the things you really want to do in life seems like something everyone should be allowed to have.