Q. I have been married for a little more than ten years. My husband has been so involved in internet gaming that he has no concerns about taking care of our home and two children for the last five years. I have tried my best to change his attitude only to fail. I’d like to get divorced from him. Should I as a Buddhist see this situation as empty and stay married?

A. As a Buddhist it is good to try to see the situation as empty. However, seeing the situation as empty is one thing and getting divorced is another. If you happen to think that one who sees everything as empty should not break up from one’s spouse, no matter what he or she may do, you are misunderstanding the idea that everything is empty.

When everything is empty, not only staying married but getting divorced is also empty, and one is neither better nor worse than the other in essence. You need feel neither guilty of one choice nor proud of the other. If you are sure that everything is empty, you should be free to make a decision for your children and yourself and be willing to accept the result of your decision because it is also empty.

©Boo Ahm

All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway