Even extraverts need regular times of solitude to stay spiritually healthy. Ian Marcus Corbin, philosopher and research fellow at Harvard Medical School, reminds us: “…Befriending oneself is a prerequisite for becoming a true friend to others. We do this by sitting quietly alone, coming to terms with who and what we are, forging some order out of the riot of … Read More
Hero-Dads Avoid Isolation
“I knew he loved me… but he would lock himself away.” I’ve heard many versions of this in my pastoral ministry over the years and it’s a real problem. Batman may do some of his best work in his cave, but hero-dads need to think through the healthy and unhealthy parts of isolation– including our legitimate need for solitude, quietness, … Read More
The Power of Introverts
I’m an introvert and maybe you are too. If not, I’m quite sure you care about some, as that’s what one-third of us are. The quotes below are from Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. It’s a superb book that has not only helped me better understand some of my weaknesses … Read More
What I Learned from Gordon Lightfoot, Part 3 of 3
“Writing songs is about finding the time, because it’s an isolated thing. You need to lock yourself in a room to do it, in one shape or another, whether it’s an empty house or hotel room.” Gordon Lightfoot in Nicholas Jennings, Lightfoot (Viking, 2017), 88. I mentioned in Part 1 that, among other things, Lightfoot and I share a connection … Read More