Solitude brings balance in a world of constant connection through social media, cellphones and email.

"In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post-office.  You may depend on it, that the poor fellow who walks away with the greatest number of letters, proud of his extensive correspondence, has not heard from himself this long while."

Henry David Thoreau, 1863

What would Thoreau think of OUR reliance upon cellphones, email and social media?

An Associated Press article in today's paper entitled "Can True Solitude be Found in a Wired World" highlights the need for alone time in a society of constant connectedness through cell phones, email and social media.  At one point, the article quotes Camille Preston, a tech and communication consultant based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Referring to a lifestyle of non-stop interaction through communication devices, she argues: "What might have felt like an obligation at first has become an addiction. It's almost as if we don't know how to be alone, or we are afraid of what we'll find when we are alone with ourselves. It's easier to keep doing, than it is to be in stillness."

The article goes on to speak of groups like "Sabbath Manifesto" that call on people "to unplug one day a week to find solitude - or to simply take a day of rest with family and friends."

In our time, we sometimes drift into a state of mind where we define happiness according to the number of "Likes" we've accumulated on Facebook, the frequency with which we receive emails or cell phone text messages, or the number of people who offer us positive comments on a blogpost. This dependence on the responses of others produces a passive attitude - and a mild depression -  where we forget that our primary calling in this life is to be creative, and to give the indwelling Divine a fresh and unique awareness of Life's goodness and beauty.

To this end, I've thus far refused to buy a laptop or tablet, since I know how tempted I would be to use them when I'm away from my desk. I also engage in minimal texting.  Solitary time spent in the natural world puts me in touch with a multitude of symbols embodied in plants, animals, geological features and weather systems, each of which mirrors some aspect of my inner life - or my relationship with God and Mother Earth.  This in turn stimulates my creative imagination, making me feel more alive and fulfilled.  For me, this sort of disciplined approach works well and helps maintain a sense that I have some measure of control in my life.

Social media, emails and cell phones are an important aspect of our lives.  But I think we would all agree that we need quality time spent away from these - and some measure of solitude - to help us remain in touch with our true inner self - and with the Divine Presence, however we are led to conceive of that Presence.

Photo: Limber Pine roots and Hallett Peak on misty, snowy day; Emerald Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO; October 27, 2012