With my husband and kids away for the weekend, I had three whole days to myself. As a busy wife and mother, time like that is like finding $20 in an old purse… but even better. I usually get some take out and hunker down to binge watch the latest series I have missed. But there are times when I want to experience something. This time it was the symphony performing Mozart’s Requiem Mass. Choral church music isn’t everyone’s “thing,” but I enjoy hearing it. I booked a ticket for one and waited excitedly for the big night to arrive.

　　丈夫带着孩子们去别的地方过周末，我有三天独处的时间。对于一个忙碌的妻子和母亲来说，这种感觉简直比在旧钱包里翻出20美元的感觉还要好! 我通常都会叫个外卖，追个错过了几集的新剧。也有过几次我尝试做了一些其他的事情，连续两个小时听莫扎特的《安魂曲》。虽然不是每个人都喜欢教堂合唱乐，但我觉得还不错，我也会自己定个演出票，然后满心欢喜的等待夜幕降临前去观演。

　　After the performance, I heard the people behind me make a snarky comment about me being alone. I looked at them and smiled. They weren’t in on my little secret that I purposely volunteered to arrive at the performance by myself. I was able to listen to almost two hours of Mozart music with no interruption, and I was able to experience some of the most beautiful music in the world just for me.

　　表演结束后，有时候我会听见身后的人小声议论我一个人看演出。我会看看他们然后笑笑，这是我的小秘密，就是有意要一个人去看表演。我能够静静的欣赏莫扎特的音乐两个小时不被打扰，只有我和音乐两个人的世界。

　　This isn’t the first time that I boldly went somewhere alone. I love going to art museums by myself. I saw Michelangelo’s David when I was traveling to Florence for a weekend on my own. One of the most beautiful experiences of my life was walking into the hall where David is. I gasped in awe at the beauty before me. I had the time alone to savor the entire experience.

　　一个人的经历不止看演出。我还喜欢一个人去艺术博物馆。在一次周末我一个人飞去佛罗伦萨看大卫的画展。那是我人生中最美妙的时刻之一，绽放异彩，美轮美奂，让人沉醉的画作就这样呈现在我的面前。我独处的时候常常会细细回忆起整个旅行经历。

　　Another experience alone was listening to Fado music alone in a restaurant in Lisbon, Portugal. I wore a beautiful red dress and sat proudly at a table by myself, listening to some of the most haunting melodies I have ever heard.

　　还有一次在葡萄牙，里斯本的一间餐厅欣赏Fado 音乐。我身着一件漂亮的红裙，一个人高傲的坐着，听着从未听过的撩人心醉的旋律。

　　Would the experience have been the same if I were chatting with my girlfriends or my husband? Those experiences shared with another likely would not have had the same meaning to me. Maybe not everyone can get to a symphony or see David up close this weekend. That’s okay. Here are my suggestions for creating some alone time for you:

　　这些经历可以媲美你和闺蜜或是丈夫的聊天么?对于我来说，应该是不能划等号的。也许这个周末你也想听一场交响乐或是去看大卫的画展，没问题，在此之前分享到我几个独处的小建议供参考：

　　1) Download a piece of music you’ve always wanted to hear in concert. Find a place where you can listen to it by yourself, and just allow yourself to feel it. What emotions does it stir within you? What does the music make you long for?

　　下

　　载你想去听的音乐会中的一个音乐片段，找一个地方你一个人欣赏。试想你会感觉的一种怎样情绪，什么样的音乐是让你梦寐以求去欣赏的?

　　2) Try the class you’ve always wanted to try. Have you always wondered what they do in a Kundalini yoga class? Find one and go! You can also find wine tasting classes, cooking classes, and there’s even a cheese pairing class in our neighborhood. Look around and take a class that opens a door to a new dimension of you.

　　上一门你早就跃跃欲试的课程，你是想上昆达里尼瑜伽课程，那就找一个然后去上，或是品酒课，烹饪课，甚至还有，奶酪搭配课。在你家附近找找，然后上一门，为你自己开启一片新天地。

　　3) Take some time to spend alone in nature… and leave your headphones at home. Time amongst the trees, water, and birds will give you an opportunity to hear your own thoughts. Hear the sounds of nature, feel the breeze, and just be open to any thoughts that drift into your mind.

　　感受大自然，放下你的耳机。绿树、流水、鸟鸣，是时候回归自我。耳畔是自然的声音，微风拂面，打开心扉，自由畅想。

　　It is okay to be alone sometimes. We crave that time so that we can be of better service to those who rely on us. The next time you have 30 minutes, a day or even a weekend to yourself, plan to carve some of that time out so you can do something for you. Your soul will thank you.

　　独处一段时间没有坏处，我们挤出时间这样做是为了很好的照顾依赖我们的人。在下一次不管是30分钟，一天或是一个星期，只要有时间独处，就单纯的为自己高兴做点什么。你的灵魂会向你致谢。

（编辑：何莹莹）