--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fruit of solitude is increased…" description: "\"The fruit of solitude is increased sensitivity and compassion for others. There comes a new freedom to be with people. There is new attentiveness to th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc5/richard-j-foster-1460_affection_the-fruit-of-solitude-is-increased-sensi_2944401.jpg" --- # The fruit of solitude is increased sensitivity and… ![“The fruit of solitude is increased sensitivity and compassion for others. There comes a new freedom to be with people. There is new attentiveness to their needs, new responsiveness to their hurts. Thomas Merton observes, 'It is in deep solitude that I find the gentleness with which I can truly…” quote by Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc5/richard-j-foster-1460_affection_the-fruit-of-solitude-is-increased-sensi_2944401.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc5/richard-j-foster-1460_affection_the-fruit-of-solitude-is-increased-sensi_2944401.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc5/richard-j-foster-1460_affection_the-fruit-of-solitude-is-increased-sensi_2944401.jpg) > “The fruit of solitude is increased sensitivity and compassion for others. There comes a new freedom to be with people. There is new attentiveness to their needs, new responsiveness to their hurts. Thomas Merton observes, 'It is in deep solitude that I find the gentleness with which I can truly love my brothers. The more solitary I am the more affection I have for them… Solitude and silence teach me to love my brothers for what they are, not for what they say.” [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Solitude deepens empathy, allowing us to feel others' needs and respond with compassion, creating a freer, more attentive presence among people. **In simple terms:** Solitude makes us more caring and attentive. Key Takeaway Embrace solitude to grow compassion. Themes solitude empathy compassion freedom attentiveness Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - counseling - community building - mindful listening - spiritual retreats Key Concepts psychology spiritual growth human connection Questions to Reflect On - How does solitude change your view of others? - What practices help turn solitude into compassion? A Different Perspective Solitude can also lead to loneliness if not balanced with social interaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Affection Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection-solitude-3519566/) [Attentiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attentiveness/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassion for others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-for-others/) [Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/) [Fruit Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit-solitude-4405528/) [Gentleness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleness/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Love My Bro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-my-bro/) [Love my brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-my-brother/) [My brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-brother/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Responsiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsiveness/) [Sensitivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitivity/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Solitary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitary/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/) [Solitude Gentleness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude-gentleness-1712826/) [Solitude Increased](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude-increased-4405529/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thomas-merton/) [Truly love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly-love/) ## Related quotes > [It is in deep solitude that I find the gentleness with which I can truly love my brothers. The more solitary I am, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/it-is-in-deep-solitude-that-i-find-the-gentleness-with-which-i-can/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I love my brothers' kids. It's funny - as an uncle, you become so protective of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/i-love-my-brothers-kids-it-s-funny-as-an-uncle-you-become-so/) [Liam Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-hemsworth/) > [It is in deep solitude and silence that I find the gentleness with which I can truly love my brother and sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/it-is-in-deep-solitude-and-silence-that-i-find-the-gentleness-with/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I love my brother. 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I don't belong to Abnegation, or Dauntless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/he-is-a-part-of-me-always-will-be-and-i-am-a-part-of-him-too-i-don-t-2/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Solitude and silence teach me to love my brothers for what they are, not for what they say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/solitude-and-silence-teach-me-to-love-my-brothers-for-what-they-are/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [When people say But I looooove him!. My reaction is Geez! I love my dog! I love my brother, I love my pet hamster!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-people-say-but-i-looooove-him-my-reaction-is-geez-i-love-my-dog/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love my brother, I love my dad, actually love my mother as well, hope that's ok. And I admire their service to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/i-love-my-brother-i-love-my-dad-actually-love-my-mother-as-well-hope/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [“Honestly, as much as I love my brother, I’m not sure how I feel about him hanging out in your bedroom.” He reached out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/honestly-as-much-as-i-love-my-brother-i-m-not-sure-how-i-feel-about/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [“I believe in God, and I love my brother. But I don't want any religion that will demand I lose my individuality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaunda-micheaux-nelson/i-believe-in-god-and-i-love-my-brother-but-i-don-t-want-any-religion/) [Vaunda Micheaux Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaunda-micheaux-nelson/) > [“It's not reasonable to love people who are only going to die," she said. Nash thought about that for a moment, stroking Small's neck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/it-s-not-reasonable-to-love-people-who-are-only-going-to-die-she-said/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [A brother is one who always loves you whenever you hurt him, he always ignores your bad things and focuses on your good things.He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister/a-brother-is-one-who-always-loves-you-whenever-you-hurt-him-he-always/) [Alister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister/) > [I love my Dad. I love my Mom. I love my Sister. I love my Brother. I love my Family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-my-dad-i-love-my-mom-i-love-my-sister-i-love-my-brother-i-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Richard J. Foster > [Prayer is - listening for the still small voice of God. Listening with the "ear of our hearts."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/prayer-is-listening-for-the-still-small-voice-of-god-listening-with/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Over-consumption is a cancer eating away at our spiritual vitals. It distances us from the great masses of broken bleeding humanity. It converts us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/over-consumption-is-a-cancer-eating-away-at-our-spiritual-vitals-it/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“To believe that God can reach us and bless us in the ordinary junctures of daily life is the stuff of prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/to-believe-that-god-can-reach-us-and-bless-us-in-the-ordinary/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Prayer is simply saying "thank you, bless you, praise you."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/prayer-is-simply-saying-thank-you-bless-you-praise-you/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [There is an old proverb to the effect that 'all those who open their mouths, close their eyes!' The purpose of silence and solitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/there-is-an-old-proverb-to-the-effect-that-all-those-who-open-their/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [It is an occupational hazard of devout folk to become stuffy bores. This should not be. Of all people, we should be the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/it-is-an-occupational-hazard-of-devout-folk-to-become-stuffy-bores/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“Lord God, you deserve my best. Forgive me for the times I have offered you only the dregs, whether it be half-heartedly muttered prayers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/lord-god-you-deserve-my-best-forgive-me-for-the-times-i-have-offered/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/superficiality-is-the-curse-of-our-age-the-doctrine-of-instant/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [If worship does not change us it has not been worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/if-worship-does-not-change-us-it-has-not-been-worship/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“I want to mention one other reason why we shy away from commitment. It is, very simply, the fear that we will not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/i-want-to-mention-one-other-reason-why-we-shy-away-from-commitment-it/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“It is one thing to act like a servant; it is quite another to be a servant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/it-is-one-thing-to-act-like-a-servant-it-is-quite-another-to-be-a/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“we hold on so tightly to the good that we do know that we cannot receive the greater good that we do not know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/we-hold-on-so-tightly-to-the-good-that-we-do-know-that-we-cannot/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“Once we have made generous latitude for individual differences and schedules, we must firmly discipline ourselves to a regular pattern of prayer. We cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/once-we-have-made-generous-latitude-for-individual-differences-and/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [Freedom in the Gospel does not mean license. It means opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/freedom-in-the-gospel-does-not-mean-license-it-means-opportunity/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [“The tongue is our most powerful weapon of manipulation. A frantic stream of words flows from us because we are in a constant process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/the-tongue-is-our-most-powerful-weapon-of-manipulation-a-frantic/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) [Explore all 239 Richard J. Foster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) ## More Affection quotes > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [“It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/it-is-to-build-a-house-with-affection-even-as-if-your-beloved-were-to/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [A lost love. Deny it who will, ridicule it, treat it as mere imagination and sentiment, the thing is and will be; and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/a-lost-love-deny-it-who-will-ridicule-it-treat-it-as-mere-imagination/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Browse all 2,465 Affection quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fruit of solitude is increased sensitivity and compassion for others. 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