The Lonely Road

Canadian artist k-os says “The lonely ones are the only ones who fall in love”.

That may be true, it may not. It is true that traveling alone can be very lonely and makes you want companionship. There are moments when I realize just how far away I am from my friends and family and where I left my heart. But what happens when I stop being lonely?

A lady named Aida Calder wrote a blog called “The Gift of Aloneness” and she talks about how becoming comfortable with yourself and getting to know and accept yourself leads you from loneliness to aloneness. Aloneness, she says, comes after you accept that you are alone, love yourself and give yourself freedom to enjoy life.

Yesterday I almost started traveling together with a Frenchman named Alex. We were on the same shitty bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. He was a good dude and we were going the same places so it would have worked. Then I thought “I have to hang out with him”. I realized that I wasn’t in a place where I could coordinate my times and plan with someone I really didn’t know. I’d rather do it alone. So we parted.

That’s when I stopped whining about it. I chose to travel on my own for this time. No sense in pining about lost love or pondering why me.

This time is for me to ponder my faults, strengths and the things and people I love. Was k-os right? Do I even know what I want? Who is Love?

The Black Keys say “Let’s go to a place where nobody gives their heart away.”

Maybe that place comes after loneliness. Maybe I’ll travel there.

Here is a picture of a kid dancing with some monks.