On Being a Hermit

A lot of people come to Montana to escape from the world. They want to be alone, explore their spirituality, and put themselves into an incubator for re-birth. It can be a good thing, unless they decide to stay in the incubator forever.

I have been thinking about my status here for the last few days, and whether or not I'm one of "those" people. You know. The crazy Kazinski type that everyone thinks of when they hear "Montana". It's hard to believe people still jump to that visual first, but they do.

Well, an old friend must have read my mind today because when I told him I was sitting in front of a crackling fire, he e-mailed me to say (almost as if he had given up on me), that he assumes I've become a hermit. Well, I say to him that I've just taken a "time -out". We all have the right to take a time-out, re-calibrate, and prepare for reuniting.

Besides, another friend from Chicago sent me a photograph of his view (after seeing my view of he mountains). I dare say, his view of an empty lot and parked cars certainly makes being a "hermit with a view" feel ok for now.

We must remember, no matter what happens, that we are all here for a reason and life is to be treasured; to be enjoyed. We need to embrace change, and embrace our community – whether you live in a large city, or a small town. We are nothing without each other, and we are all one. To live separate from other people, is to live separate from yourself. My friend is right for balking at me, as if to say..."not too long".