Living Alone

These were turning words for me today. Many thanks to the friends who pushed them into view.

To live alone does not mean to reject the world and society. The Buddha said that living alone means living in the present moment deeply observing whatis happening. If we do that, we will not be dragged into the past or swept away into thoughts about the future.

The Buddha said that if we cannot live in the present moment, even if we are alone in the deepest forest, we are
not really alone. He said that if we are fully alive in the present moment,even if we are in a crowded, urban area, we can still be said to be living alone.

From Thich Nhat Hanh's commentary on The Better Way to
Live Alone sutra