Solitude V/S Lonliness

"Language has created the word 'loneliness' to express the pain of being alone and the word 'solitude' to express the glory of it."

                                                                             -Paul Tillich

What makes solitude so delightful and loneliness so damnable? Both words signify the state of being alone but it is often difficult to pinpoint exactly where one ends and the other begins.

Aaah, solitude! Paeans have been dedicated to it!

Picture yourself in a boat, in the midst of the river, with lush green trees and clear blue sky..

Sitting by the window sill, watching the clouds drift by, while a steaming cup of hot chocolate lays abandoned.

Enjoying the drizzle outside with a tattered, much-loved Dan Brown book.

Very little, rivals the serenity offered by solitariness. :) 

I envy and admire people who can revel in solitude. The ones who are most content with their own company. Unfortunately, they're often labeled "socially inept." Distant on social occasions, they always seem self-assured and are quite okay with letting someone else be the life of the party. They're often a subject of gossip, speculation and hushed queries. "Doesn't she ever feel lonely?"
Maybe. Maybe not.

Solitude is enjoyable. Vital, even. It allows you to converse with yourself. Detachment from the outer world leads to introspection and disentanglement of thoughts, giving free rein to the psyche. It then ensues an uninterrupted flow of hopes, emotions- melancholy, elation, remnants of anger, balls of laughter...

But when does solitude metamorphose into loneliness?
My guess is, when it's coupled with cynicism. Then, the thin line separating the two stages blurs quickly. While solitude may help someone to be at peace, loneliness leads to feelings of antagonism. Right then, it's you against the world. An absence of confidantes instigates the feeling of isolation. I've always felt that the worst feeling in the world would be to feel profoundly happy about something and not have anyone to share it with. :( 

Then there are the cliched- "Alone in the crowd" people. You see them all the time, their transparent faces betray their feelings, their longing to be somewhere else with someone else. Their desire to erase the bonds and traverse to a happier place. All to the tune of "Wish you were here..."

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