Gift From The Sea

Lindbergh describes a snail shell that she finds. She says that “it is the moon, solitary in the sky” (47), as well as “an island, set in ever-widening circles of waves” (47), and it makes her reflect upon the nature of solitude. Solitude, she says, can be serene and wonderful. Like an island that is cut off from the world, solitude forces one to dwell in the present, appreciating each moment. However, Lindbergh suggests that American culture is fearful of solitude. She notes that “it seems to imply rejection or unpopularity” (49), and people do their best to drown it out with television, radio, and music. This makes it necessary to re-learn the practice of solitude, which Lindbergh attempts to do by being alone on the beach for two days and nights. She explains that sleeping under the stars and eating alone brought her closer to nature and to other human beings.

According to Lindbergh, another important benefit of solitude is that it replenishes one’s creative energies. This is especially important for women due to their roles as “the eternal nourisher of children, of men, of society” (53). Because of the multiple demands placed on them, women are always in danger of “spilling away” and exhausting their vital energies.