Know Yourself

 Our growing up years of self-discovery are usually focused on social ambitions, such as fitting in, dating, moving into more intimate relationships, work, career, living arrangements including geography.  But eventually the search will turn inward as it must if are to know ourself in a deeper and truer sense.  All the previous seeking was influenced by conformity, necessity, security, control for instance.  The inward journey is unique because it becomes the discovery of your unique self.  It is said, "One is never less alone than when one is alone."  This is solitude at its best.  If we are not ready for it, then being alone feels lonely and we go for escape.  I have always had an attraction for solitude, but not staying long enough with it, or knowing quite how to plum it, I did not come to know myself.  Rather I escaped into many other things, people and places.  Being a late-comer is no shame.  Better late than never.