To Live Or Not To Live Alone

One thing I miss doing is living on my own. I'm told that one is lucky to be home, to not be away from family. But where is the freedom? A counter to this is that the joy of freedom is exceeded by the pain of homesickness and of leading a life independently - when you have to cook for yourself, wash your own clothes and dirty utensils everyday apart from the main reason of your living alone (say studies or job). With this the luster of living alone is washed off. In my existence of 22 years I've stayed on my own for a brief project of two weeks in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh besides a ten day Vipassana course where I was cut off from everyone and everything. As a part of school and college trips, I've been to Nainital, Dalhousie, Jim Corbett, Palampur, McLeodganj. Despite these sojourns, I don't feel I qualify to take sides with either living alone or living with family. Moving on I'd rather speak of incidents and lessons learnt from these little experiences and how I faced them.

I feel when I'm away from family I'm more orderly, dutiful and conscious. With my parents around I mostly goof around as all my needs are then taken care of. But on these trips, I felt responsible for myself. I rarely wake up early to study, but once at my friend's place out of Delhi, I woke up early and started reading Chanakya Neeti! 'What's wrong with me?!', I asked myself.

My room at Vipassana Centre.

At Vipassana I was allotted a personal one single bed room. I used to wake up at 4 in the morning, meditate, have breakfast and in break time I would sweep the floor and wipe it with wet cloth. Sleeping alone in that small room surrounded by woods I would suspiciously look at my Kurta hung on the wall, I used to imagine it as a figure. So yes, sleeping alone in a really quiet place also has its demerits.

In Bhopal we had to cook one meal for ourselves. Doing utensils or cleaning the room has never been a problem for me...cooking has. I'm good at making custard, soups (from powder), noodles and similar ready to make stuff. Sabzis, rice, Roti and other items of staple diet..are a bit of a problem. Thankfully my colleague there who happens to be a boy (no stereotyping) knew how to make stuff from egg breakfasts to Chicken biryani - saviour!

Living on your own teaches us important values such as tolerance, cooperation in times of coexistence. I feel less cluttered when I am own. I learn things I would not have while I am in the comfort zone provided by my home. I look forward to living alone and to start a new life on my terms, with new challenges as then it would be more fun.