Chapter 75

A Brave New World?:

I can remember sitting in my cottage in Hambledon, all alone, at the age of eighteen, listening to Dvorak's New World Symphony.

A sad sweet consolation for the sense of being alone.

Here I am writing this at the age of seventy five, sitting in my cottage, in Bangtao, all alone, listening to Dvorak's New World Symphony.

With the same sense of bitter sweet melancholy.

Have I learned nothing?

On the contrary I have learned everything, at least everything that matters.

I have learned that being lonely is bad but being alone is not.
And to quietly immerse oneself in a deep contemplative meditation has spiritual rewards beyond the dreams of those who have lived as though we were but automatons.

I have lived - Oh how I have lived.... and am still living.............

Hmmm! When I get a bit on the defensive like this I tell myself that my main reason for coming to Thailand is to attempt to master the Thai language.

It would help if I was better at it :-)