The Value of Solitude Part 2

Reaching out to young people to write their own thoughts about a topic was a hallmark of Growing Without Schooling for as long as we published it. In these two letters, the young people show a depth of thought and self-awareness that is striking. Homeschooler Alec Young writes, “By being alone and thinking through a subject or problem or project, I form a more honest opinion or plan than I might in a group. When I'm alone, I'm not intimidated by other ideas. However, it is also important to exchange ideas to hear different perspectives and see different ways of looking at things. But I'm a more articulate participant if I've had time to think the topic through on my own.” Clare Murphy, then a young teen, explores Thoreau's description of solitude: "I may be a gregarious person, but I, like Thoreau, have never found a companion better than solitude."