I can relate to what he says about solitude more fully than I ever have before. Many days I am home alone from early morning to late afternoon and by then I am looking forward to afternoon tea and the conversations that go on around preparing dinner and eating together. I have a new appreciation for stay-at-home moms who may have long days of solitude, albeit with a baby or young children. There is certainly a greater desire for community that comes after solitude.
However I also recall the need for solitude when I had been busy all day interacting and being with people. The drive home in quiet was always good, as was the walk around the yard and through the garden, to reset the compass of my life. Re-establishing rhythms in my life has made me appreciate more deeply the movement back and forth between solitude and community and for finding the balances that lead to living well.