The Art of Eating Alone Every Day

Every Meal, a Reminder.

They say food brings people together.
But what happens when you're always eating alone?

You make dinner.
Or maybe just tea.
You sit at the edge of your bed or on the floor.
Netflix plays something in the background, or
Alexa plays a sad song.
Just so it doesn’t feel too quiet.

No chatter.
No passing of dishes.
No second helpings from mom’s hand.
No one asking, “Want some more?”

You scroll.
You watch.
You chew.
You swallow the food and the silence.

Sometimes it tastes like victory.
Most times… like loneliness.

You remember the noise back home.
Siblings fighting over the last roti.
Laughter echoing during dinner.
Someone complaining about the salt.

Here?
It’s just you.
And your thoughts.
Every meal, a reminder that even hunger gets lonely.

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Eating alone doesn’t mean you’re unloved.
It means you’re learning to feed yourself in more ways than one.

You’re learning to sit with solitude.
To make peace with quiet.
To become your own company.

And someday, when your table is full again,
you’ll savour it that much more.

Only after darkness do we learn to cherish the light.

So keep cooking.
Even if it’s just for one.
You’re worth feeding. Always.

- Akshet Patel