“Being alone tends to be feared by many. As it’s widely regarded as the worst and scariest thing that could happen to one’s life. But it isn’t so.

Lying to oneself is worse and scarier; because when done long enough people end up believing their own lies, failing to distinguish between the delusions and their actual inner truth. What follows, in the words of Fyodor Dostoevsky, is that “they lose respect for themselves and for others. And having no respect they cease to love”. A life without love means bitter, alienating loneliness — especially with one’s own company and hence also among others. Now that, my friends, is the real miserable tragedy.

On the other hand, those who have the capacity to value and cherish their solitude end up becoming a celestial force of nature.”