The solitary or would-be hermit grows emotionally and psychologically by accepting his or her propensity for solitude and reclusion. Such a propensity is based not on introversion, which only needs a good rationale (or excuse) to find itself embracing a solitary life. The introvert must be wary of making eremitism an easy escape from people and the world. (This is why religious orders, east and west, test their would-be hermits with years of spiritual practice.) Our approach to eremitism should be mature in the sense that it develops logically and naturally but also with growing insight. Insight distinguishes the hermit as sage versus the solitary as mere sad misfit. It is always interesting to witness an extroverted person embracing eremitism, or to see a traditional hermit comfortable with visitors from the outside world. But there are dangers to this easy traffic. In the end the hermit is not only alone but embraces solitude because solitude is an insight into the condition of us all. The solitary witnesses to profound realities that the rest of the world misses. The solitary is the unseen flower in the woods or desert, beautiful whether seen or unseen.