India, Oct. 21 -- "The best thinking has been done in solitude." - Thomas A Edison

The other day, I came across an episode of The Happiness Lab with Dr Laurie Santos, titled "Why being alone might be better than you think." It made me pause and look at something ordinary through a fresh lens: The distinction between being lonely and being alone.

Looking back at my teenage years, being alone was something we craved. We wanted our own room, our own music, our own thoughts-our own little world. Privacy needed no explanation. Being alone was where we found ourselves.

So when did that change?

When did solitude-something that once brought contentment-become something adults feel compelled to justify? Some of my most creative and productive ...