I have been on vacation for a little less than a week now and already ideas are starting to come more naturally and less forced as I have intentionally not thought about or engaged in anything church related (except for scripture and prayer of course). I have already begun to feel a sense of renewal, but trying to keep my creativity caged until I return from vacation has proven difficult. Aristotle once said "the hardest victory is over self". This is why I feel solitude is such a vital part of the christian life. We rarely find opportunity for solitude, to deal with ourselves, but it is most necessary. Solitude forces us to evaluate who we really are, not what society has formed us into. It forces us to renew our relationship with our living Lord, Jesus Christ, and forces us to once again find our identity in him. It is also painful. We might find things about ourselves that we don't like. 

At this point it is easy to fall into a place of denial, self-pity, depression, and even blame. It is at this point, this place, that we realize we are never truly alone and that Christ is there to correct, encourage, and pour out love, hope, grace, and mercy. Solitude also brings renewed appreciation for the relationships on our lives. The difficulty of dealing with self makes us grateful for those who are there to encourage us and bring us through. Solitude is necessary and important, but it should never be the norm. Relationships with people give us the hope and strength to prove victorious.