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Until We Are Not

Bynhcarmichael

The singular and cheerful life
of any flower
in anyone’s garden
or any still unowned field—
if there are any—
catches me
by the heart,
by its color, by its obedience
to the holiest of laws:
be alive
until you are not.
– Mary Oliver, The Singular and Cheerful Life

We all have gut punches along the way. Moments of bliss interrupted by the fiercest of reality checks. Moments when you question the unfairness of it all. Look around at the world and you’ll find plenty of examples of it today.

What do we do when we catch our breath from this gut punch?

We generally find a way to carry on. To make the most of our brief time together. To spin up just a little more magic in the world, if only to reflect in the glow it creates between us. To be alive until we are not.

There is only this.

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