Swedish borne screen legend Greta Garbo’s famous quote is something we singulars can understand.

“I vant to be alone.” No, that’s not a typo. It’s the way Swedish-borne film legend Greta Garbo supposedly pronounced her trademark quote. And although the reclusive actress may have taken it to the extreme, the idea of having alone time is an absolute necessity for my singular sanity.

I have very good friends, a married couple, who are within eyesight of each other constantly. How they manage to do that, I have no idea because I would go crazy if I didn’t have my alone time — that time when it’s just me in my private space — usually just before dawn, while most of Los Angeles is still sleeping.

It’s that time when I can get my coffee without bumping into anyone or having to be civil or answer any questions. I can sit in my favorite chair and quietly enjoy the stillness of my thoughts, write in my journal, meditate and become centered before I start another crazy day.

I have an artist friend who calls her time alone her “bubble.” It’s that place where she can clearly hear her inner self and feel a connection to the heartbeat of the creative force that lives inside of us all – IF we can find the time and the space to hear it.

Now, I don’t always get to have my alone time and I don’t even always want it – but one thing for sure,  if I’m deprived of it for too long the results aren’t pretty.

It might be one of the reasons why I so treasure my singular life and maybe it’s a trait we singulars share. We understand the difference between being alone and being lonely. And we know that some things, like our alone time, cannot be shared – but experiencing it makes it possible for us to share our lives more fully.

Kim Calvert
Editorial Director
Singular magazine + singularcity.com