Death and Love

Death and love seem to be on opposite ends of a spectrum

We tend to run towards one

And run away from the other

Yet I believe they exist in parallel

Hand in hand as equals in this existence

Both make us feel emotions that are indescribable- no matter how may artists, philosophers, and scientists may attempt at it

Both knock the wind out from our lungs

with such power that it brings us to our knees

Both can feel unattainable and unreachable in different seasons of life

Both can feel unavoidable and unfair in different seasons of life

Both are out of our control

Both are unexpected

Both can never be planned or prepared for

Both make us feel weary of touching the hot handle on the stove

Both make us feel like we should hold onto the hot handle if it means we can feel them at all

Both require breaking, darkness, and ending

Both make no sense yet are the entire reason we exist

Both make no sense yet we wouldn’t be living without them

Both make no sense yet we would not know

the magnitude

The depth

The capacity we hold to feel

Without the pull of one

And the push of the other

Death and love

Are our greatest teachers

Who show us how

Beautiful

Messy

Cruel

And necessary it is

To love big enough in this life

That our spirits live past our bodies

By living in the hearts of those

Lucky enough to have loved us in this lifetime

Hopeful enough

To love us again in the next life to come