On Eating Alone (Part Two)
Yes, it is but natural for people as beings to "eat alone". The thing is, we are not just any ordinary beings -- we are human. We transcend bodily living and go beyond to the needs of the soul. Yes, we may not need the physical company of others to live, but we need this presence to bear living and to add color to life. And as beings who constantly seek that which is more, we need color in our lives.
We may choose to be alone, yes; but soon enough, we grow tired of it. I too am like that. I know that I can be successful alone, and that if I were to tread life's path on my own, I would be fine. But what a dry and boring life that would turn out to be if I choose to live it forever. With that kind of life, there would be no drama, no salt. It would be like eating salad with no dressing, only vinegar (yuck!)
Being alone is what's natural to us, that is true. That is why we can be at peace and meditate when we are alone (the way the monks do). But being at peace for the rest of our days would not make us part of the living; for in a life full of peace, we would be better off dead. Yes, alone, there would be no noise, no distractions, no pain, no confusion; and yet, isolation also denies us warmth, touch, and those little smiles seen on our faces that are much more genuine than those seen in pictures.
And so, yes, we do not need company. I need no one! But I choose to leave this blissful isolation just to have something more -- a life.
When I was faced with the question of what I would do if money were no object, and I imagined that picturesque scene of me standing in isolation at the top of a European castle; I was merely being my natural self. I was not being selfish. Neither was I distancing myself from humanity. And nor was I escaping from reality. I was being what I am: a person who can face the world alone. And yet, deep inside, I knew that if ever this picture did become reality, I would not be able to bear it for the rest of my life. For still, I would be human and yearn for more than peace and tranquility.
"So, why do you eat alone?"
Well, it's to appreciate the times when I am with you even more...
We may choose to be alone, yes; but soon enough, we grow tired of it. I too am like that. I know that I can be successful alone, and that if I were to tread life's path on my own, I would be fine. But what a dry and boring life that would turn out to be if I choose to live it forever. With that kind of life, there would be no drama, no salt. It would be like eating salad with no dressing, only vinegar (yuck!)
Being alone is what's natural to us, that is true. That is why we can be at peace and meditate when we are alone (the way the monks do). But being at peace for the rest of our days would not make us part of the living; for in a life full of peace, we would be better off dead. Yes, alone, there would be no noise, no distractions, no pain, no confusion; and yet, isolation also denies us warmth, touch, and those little smiles seen on our faces that are much more genuine than those seen in pictures.
And so, yes, we do not need company. I need no one! But I choose to leave this blissful isolation just to have something more -- a life.
When I was faced with the question of what I would do if money were no object, and I imagined that picturesque scene of me standing in isolation at the top of a European castle; I was merely being my natural self. I was not being selfish. Neither was I distancing myself from humanity. And nor was I escaping from reality. I was being what I am: a person who can face the world alone. And yet, deep inside, I knew that if ever this picture did become reality, I would not be able to bear it for the rest of my life. For still, I would be human and yearn for more than peace and tranquility.
"So, why do you eat alone?"
Well, it's to appreciate the times when I am with you even more...