* do not lament parting on any road whatsoever*
The eighth of the twenty one tenets of "The Way of Walking Alone".
This is a tenet that I see is so hard for anyone to grasp. Sure there are the diehard hardliners who don't care about anyone but themselves. That said, there is the rest of the world. We lament the passing of kindred spirits, lovers, friends and family. We sicken ourselves over a breakup with a lover, spouse, acquaintance or friend. Tears are shed, clothes are rent, the heavens fall and our lives are shattered and broken.
I have said it before and it bears repeating: Musashi was a loner, a consummate renegade, masterless samurai who cared little for having anything, friends, possessions, money or the company of a woman. But there is much that can be learned by this tenet.
Life has it's own cycle. There is the endless birthing and dying. There is the cycle of psychology and sociology at play in every single relationship we have, whether it be plutonic, sexual or any varying degree in between. People meet, there is excitement, there is fury and passion, there is settlement and comfort, there is regret and indecision, there is maybe a bit of distance and reevaluation, and in a lot of instances, there is separation and movement away. This is life, that is life and in most peoples lives, that is just what happens.
In this way, I believe that Musashi is trying to show us that we must accept that we will, throughout this life, part with many people for any of the varied reasons that I just touched on above. Whatever the reason, it is going to happen, and multiple times. Wasting the emotion, time, energy and effort in treating each and every occurrence as if it was the first time only adds to the burden of this already burdened life. Accept that life goes on, do not dwell on any single moment of pain or sadness or loss from parting, and I believe that happiness would be the reward
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