Lunchtime Loner

I have found since both kids are in school all day the loneliest thing is lunch. Generally, I have a my morning plan and my afternoon plan. Lunchtime, I try to be at home and grab some sensible food. It is the quietest meal of the day. Yoda (the cat) does not even wake up to join me. I do not like to turn on the television in case I get sucked into something that interests me more than my afternoon plan. Many days watching a leaf blow across the lawn is more interesting than my afternoon plan. The quiet, uninterrupted meal is an odd thing for me. I do not have to get up and refill water or milk for anyone. I do not have to cut food for anyone, except myself. I do not have to listen to anyone chew with their mouth open. It is a bit lonely and dull.

The rest of my day I may or may not have people around me depending on what I am doing. When decluttering closets and the basement I am alone and it does not bother me one bit. In fact I enjoy the solitude. The time to focus on a task or to let my mind wander comfortably while doing a more mundane task is very freeing. I get a lot of thinking done when people are not around asking questions and requesting my assistance. Often I come up with ideas for this blog or another topic I want to write about privately in one of my journals. I toy with idea of a memoir...and then laugh at myself for toying with idea of a memoir. Perhaps I am lucky that the only time I only feel lonely throughout the whole day is at lunch. Maybe is a good thing to feel a longing for my family, then perhaps I am more excited or prepared for the chaos that ensues when they all arrive home.

How do you feel about solitude? Is there any particular time or situation that you feel lonely? Here is to hoping you have the correct balance of solitude and chaos in your life.