Give yourself time. Meet yourself. Walk into solitude. This is where greatness is born
- In this busy age, everyone is plagued by unrest, yet solitude could be their refuge, a source of peace and self-discovery
Nisar Banbhan
Consider, for a moment, the greatest thoughts, the most precious ideas, and the most remarkable inventions. Where and when were they born? Were they ever born amidst a crowd, in the chaos of a marketplace, or within the clamor of noise? Or were they born in those fleeting moments when a person distanced themselves from the tumult of the world? When, in the solace of solitude, they found themselves, heard their thoughts, and uncovered the secrets hidden within their own heart?
Why do we run from loneliness?
Today’s world is a whirlwind of distractions. The incessant ringing of mobile phones, pointless debates on social media, the relentless duties of work, messages from friends—everywhere there is noise, but peace is nowhere to be found. The modern person no longer knows how to just ‘be’. The moment there is free time, we reach for our phones. The moment there is silence, we plug in our earphones. The moment loneliness arises, we search for a task, anything to avoid it. But why?
Because solitude confronts us with our true face. And that is the most terrifying truth of all. We spend our lives listening to others, but we rarely speak to ourselves. We are caught up in pleasing others, but we’ve forgotten ourselves. Solitude unveils the truths we may not wish to hear. This is why we seek the noise, to drown out the voice within.
Why is solitude necessary?
If you turn to history, you’ll find that every great soul embraced solitude at some point.
The mystics sought truth in isolation.
Far from the noise of the world, beneath a tree, in a desolate place, atop a mountain, they discovered both themselves and the Divine.
Kings made their most monumental decisions in solitude.
The greatest rulers, in contemplating strategies of war, revolutionary policies, and the foundations of empires, did so in solitude.
Painters created their masterpieces in solitude.
The works of Van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, Sadequain—all arose from the deep silence of solitude.
Religious reformers began their movements in solitude.
Whether it was Buddha, who attained enlightenment in solitary meditation, or the Sufis, who discovered the Divine in quiet contemplation, all found their truth in solitude.
Writers penned their immortal words in solitude.
Iqbal, Ghalib, Shakespeare, Dostoevsky—all conjured the magic of words when they withdrew from the world to immerse themselves in their thoughts.
Musicians composed their finest symphonies in solitude.
Beethoven, Mozart, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan—great musicians created their finest compositions when alone.
Inventors conceived world-changing ideas in solitude.
Whether it was Einstein’s theory of relativity or Newton’s laws of motion, both came to fruition in the quiet dialogue between the mind and the self.
Sufis and ascetics discovered their inner world in solitude.
Great souls like Hazrat Bayazid Bastami, Maulana Rumi, and Baba Bulleh Shah only encountered the truths of their inner being when they withdrew from the world’s clamor.
Revolutionary leaders chose their path of struggle in solitude.
Nelson Mandela, even in solitary confinement, nurtured the seeds of his revolution.
Mental peace and truth have always been discovered in solitude.
Gautama Buddha abandoned everything and embraced solitude to discover the secret of Nirvana.
All these examples cry out to tell us: if you desire to bring about revolutionary change in your life, to do something great, you must leave the noise behind and step into solitude.
Solitude grants us the opportunity to think. It calms the mind, stirs our creativity, and offers us the wisdom that no book can impart, yet resides within us.
If you’ve never journeyed into the depths of your thoughts, if you’ve never asked yourself the hard questions, if you’ve never sat in silence and listened to your heart—then you have missed life’s greatest secret.
But today’s world has stolen solitude from us.
We are complicit, yet the world itself has never left us alone.
Once, people had the time to sit beneath the open sky and gaze at the moon. Today, we stare at screens.
Once, people sat beneath trees to think. Now, we check WhatsApp.
Once, people sat by the river, nurturing their thoughts. Now, we watch mindless videos on YouTube.
Once, people spent time with books. Now, we scroll through Instagram.
Once, people expressed their feelings through letters. Now, we rely on emojis.
Once, people reflected on the meaning of life in solitude. Now, we binge-watch series on Netflix.
Once, people sat with their parents, listening to their stories. Now, we’re too absorbed in TikTok videos.
Once, people sought solace in the mosque or shrine. Now, we measure our lives against the artificially happy images on Facebook.
Once, people walked and pondered life. Now, we plug in our earphones and lose ourselves in others’ voices.
Once, people spent evenings contemplating life on their rooftops. Now, we lie in bed, lost in YouTube reels.
Once, people spent late nights dreaming about their future. Now, we grow envious of others’ lives on social media.
Once, people sat in silence and listened to their hearts. Now, we live in a constant state of noise and can no longer hear our own voice.
Once, people lived in the world of truth. Now, we’ve lost ourselves in a virtual reality.
We’ve lost our greatest power—solitude—and in its place, we’ve gained mental unrest.
Today’s person is a mental slave. They cannot spend a single moment with themselves because they’ve never been taught how beautiful solitude can be.
How do we embrace solitude?
- Spend some time each day in complete silence. This time should be just for you and your thoughts. No phone, no book, no TV.
- Walk while you ponder. Take a stroll, but let your mind wander freely. Let your thoughts flow, don’t restrict them.
- Answer the questions inside you. We know everyone else’s story, but we never ask ourselves: Who am I? What am I meant to do? What is the purpose of my life?
- Dedicate one day each week to being “digitally free”. Turn off your phone, step away from social media, and see how your mind transforms.
Do you fear solitude?
If so, know this: there is nothing wrong with it. In fact, it is your greatest strength. If you embrace it, perhaps you’ll discover life’s most precious secret—the secret known to the greatest minds of the world—that true peace, true wisdom, true creativity, and true enlightenment are only possible in solitude.
Give yourself time. Meet yourself. Walk into solitude. This is where greatness is born.
In this busy age, everyone is plagued by unrest, yet solitude could be their refuge, a source of peace and self-discovery. Perhaps this write-up will knock on someone’s heart and offer them the peace they’ve been searching for. If you think this might help someone, share it with them.
Read: Nurturing Resilience in Children
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Hailing from Village Mir Muhammad Banbhan, Taluka Mirwah, District Khapurpur and based in Karachi, the capital of Sindh, Nisar Banbhan is a seasoned professional with nearly 25 years of multifaceted experience, encompassing 3 years in journalism and over two decades of service in a public sector organization. His extensive expertise spans content creation, scriptwriting, screenwriting, lyrics, poetry, and storytelling across multiple languages, including Sindhi, Urdu, and English. Nisar has honed his skills in writing articles, columns, and short stories, contributing to various national and regional media outlets. Additionally, he brings a deep understanding of program development, educational advocacy, and strategic planning, having led initiatives that promote quality education and foster community empowerment. His passion for literature and education merges seamlessly, enabling him to craft impactful narratives that resonate with diverse audiences while driving meaningful change in society.
