"Mio is always alone."
Haru said to Simon. Mio was reading a book on a distant bench.
"She's choosing solitude," Simon answered.
"Choosing? Not forced?"
"Solitude and isolation are different."
Haru became interested. "How different?"
"Solitude is active. Isolation is forced."
"But both are being alone."
Simon explained. "The appearance is the same. But the interior is different."
"Interior?"
"People who choose solitude feel freedom. People forced into isolation feel alienation."
Haru thought. "So the meaning of being alone is different."
"Yes. Sartre said, 'Man is condemned to be free.'"
"Freedom is a sentence?"
"Must choose. Can't escape from choice."
Haru was confused. "Solitude is also a choice?"
"Not choosing is also a choice. Mio is actively choosing to be alone."
Mio came a little closer and sat next to them. An unusual thing.
Haru was surprised. "Mio."
Mio silently looked at the sky.
Simon said quietly. "Her way of participating."
"Participating?"
"You can participate through presence without joining conversation."
Haru looked at Mio. Indeed, she's there.
"Maybe solitude isn't being alone," Haru murmured.
Simon nodded. "Paul Tillich divided solitude into three."
"Three?"
"Isolation, loneliness, and solitude."
"The last one?"
"In Japanese, 'time alone.' Creative and rich time by oneself."
Haru began to understand. "Is that what Mio has?"
"Probably. She's enjoying solitude."
Mio nodded slightly.
"But," Haru questioned. "Humans are social beings, right? Isn't being alone unnatural?"
"Aristotle said so. 'Man is a political animal.'"
"So solitude is bad?"
Simon smiled. "But the same Aristotle also said, 'To have friends, you must first be a friend to yourself.'"
"Friend to yourself?"
"Dialogue with self. That requires solitude."
Haru looked at the window. "Isn't that contradictory?"
"Not contradictory. Balance."
Mio wrote in her notebook. "Solitude ⇄ Connection"
Simon read. "Back and forth. Both are necessary."
Haru asked. "But some people get sick from too much solitude."
"That's isolation. Forced, with no choice."
"So solitude you can choose is healthy?"
"Carl Rogers emphasized self-congruence. Time apart from others' expectations, being yourself."
Haru understood. "That's the value of solitude."
"One value. But not everything."
Mio stood up and returned to her original bench.
Haru said. "She left."
"Her solitude time," Simon said. "We should respect it."
"But I wonder if she's lonely."
"Loneliness and solitude are different. Loneliness is a sense of lack. Solitude is the possibility of fulfillment."
Haru took a deep breath. "Difficult."
"The philosophy of relationships is difficult. Balance between connection and autonomy."
"Is Mio achieving balance?"
"In her way. But it's hard to judge from outside."
Haru asked. "So can you choose solitude or not?"
Simon answered carefully. "Depends on the situation. People experiencing social exclusion have limited choices."
"Economic and cultural constraints."
"Yes. So 'the freedom to choose solitude' itself might be a privilege."
Haru was surprised. "A privilege?"
"Because you're safe and have basic human relationships, you can choose to be alone."
"Is Mio fortunate?"
"In a sense. To enjoy solitude, you also need times when you're not alone."
Haru laughed. "Full of contradictions."
"Humans are full of contradictions," Simon admitted.
Mio was reading in the distance. Whether it's solitude or loneliness, only she knows.
Haru said quietly. "Solitude can be chosen. But we should be grateful to have the freedom to choose."
"Good conclusion," Simon nodded.
They quietly watched over Mio. While respecting her solitude.