Monday, January 12, 2009

Alone?

Am I the only human being on the planet who understands the concept of wanting to be alone with your thoughts?

I recently told my wife that I would enjoy taking a weekend (technically I said four days) and just heading out of town, just me in a rented car with no destination in mind, and nothing planned. Sure, I'd take my fishing gear, but not because I would be planning on fishing, but just so that it would be available to me as an option. She told me she didn't understand why I would want to do so, but would certainly be OK with it... as long as the in-laws had moved in so they could help. I get that, I really do.

But everyone I have told about this idea of mine has come up with a thing we could do together. "Yeah, that's great, we'll head up to Cape Breton and do some fly fishing!" or "Fantastic! We'll head down south and get in some great games of golf" or "My brother (who is a pilot) can get us some great rates, let's hit Vegas!"

Which part of "I" is it that people have so much trouble with.... am I alone in wanting to just think thoughts, listen to my own breathing and the sounds of the world around me... without the interruption of conversation? Where the only babbling I want to hear, for days, is the babbling of a brook, or the sound of the wind? Do I really need to find a Buddhist temple somewhere (and there are two great Buddhist retreats here in NS) just to be left alone?

Or maybe it is me. Maybe I am just that odd. Wouldn't be the first time.

2 comments:

  1. I totally get it.

    In fact, I try to get His Nibs to take off on his own all the time.

    You should do a retreat - there are also some *awesome* writers' retreats in NS. You'd love it. It kind of not only forces you to be alone with your thoughts, but you end up putting your thoughts down and you can actually get a lot done.

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  2. Yeah, there are some good ones out here... The Boss was going to go to one of the Buddhist retreats out in Cape Breton last year, or maybe the year before, but that all fell through.

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