I know that the heart of life is good. I realized this the next day, once the wave had finally passed, leaving behind a smooth finish like those of pebbles caught in the chaos of oceans. Pebbles that went echoing down the now hollowed out space that had once held something fierce. And the feeling … it was nothing short of liberating. It wasn’t exhilarating or a moment marked with some kind of euphoric realization. It was quiet, it was kind and it was a weight lifted, like bags filled heavy with intention that I finally decided it was time to put down. It has been a turning point.

There is always something left to love. I try to remember this, hold on to it as I navigate through air thick and opaque with words unsaid. There’s an uncomfortable quiet in the space where I eagerly welcome the words that never come and that are never said – like setting out a table for a guest who never actually arrives. So you sit there, watching the candle burn out.

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Photo by Volkan Omez