Being Alone Or Being With Others

Recently, after sharing my opinion and listening to another person's point of view, I learned to categorize the change of socializing habit in people into two types (of course we should not categorize or stereotype people, but this is just to help me understand people more)

Here they are:

1) Some people, myself included, have been hurt by other people during socialzing events. They might have done something embarrassing and then other people show strong disapproval or laugh at them, so they are afraid of going out there, afraid of making more mistakes and getting all those mean looks and criticism from other people. So they prefer to live their life alone, avoding all sorts of gathering events or parties. They prefer to be alone, work alone, travel alone, pray alone, and learn to enjoy their own company and find solitude in God. For this group of people, God will teach them to open up, let go of the past fear, and learn to see God in the eyes of other people. So far, that is what happening to me. I know that I must learn to be with more people so that I can give and receive, love and laugh, exchange experience, be kind, and learn to live together peacefully with the other children of God. But still, it is not an easy thing to me.

2) Some people, on the opposite, have been socialzing so much all their lives. They find comfort in being among people, in being surrounded by friends and acquaintances. They love to party and love all kinds of social events. They hardly be alone and hardly stand being alone for it makes them feel lonely. In this case, it is like they 'rely' on others to be happy. So God teach them a different thing; that happiness can be found in total solitude, in being alone with God and have their souls fulfilled.  It is a different way of learning but it is very true as well. Total peace can be found in silence and in union between human heart and God's.

In my opinion, in the end both groups of people will end up in the same place: finding the good balance between being by themselves and being with others. They will learn that both are necessary for human lives on Earth and they can't go too extreme. They will learn that they shoud be with others not to seek happiness for themselves but to give, to exchange, and to love. They will learn also that solitude is also necessary. It is important for everyone to find time to be alone with God quietely, listen to Him, and just feel His love flow directly into their souls. But they should not decide to be alone because the want to hide, because they are afraid.

From my past job in consultant companies, I also learn the some people naturally prefer being by themselves and some people naturally prefer socialzing. So we should not say that everyone should have their times divided exactly at 50-50 for being alone and being with others. If you find a lot of peace from being alone by yourselves, then spend a lot of time alone. If you feel energetic by being with people, then spend a lot of time socializing and doing activities with others. In conclusion, just be yourself but don't run into the extreme that ruins the balance of your true nature as human being.