it is absolutely necessary, this expanse of time in which i toggle between optimism and mourning...

And when I use others' words as my own, or others' words as yours, since there is emptiness where our love once stood. The mountains, though silent, stand there still, whether they are in front of us or behind us.



"I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert an afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking.
The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there's little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides."
- Carl Sagan