The Loss Factor

The ravage of time leaves battered those
that fail to accept its brutality
and choose to ignore its influence.

The world ends for all of us.
And it runs fast
like the blade of a diamond saw.
If you think you're strong enough,
and if you have doubts,
then bring your hands forth,
and you will be cut.

Death is an essential part of who we are
and it is something
that our busy, ordinary lives tempt us to forget.

Not until we lose someone close
or toe the line ourselves
do we remember
how very real and permanent it is.

And it is important to remember.

It is the fleeting immediacy of life
that pours the foundation
of the soul.

It is from this one, unflinching slab of stone
that we build ourselves
and gauge our progress.

Its transience permits us to comprehend the weight of things.

It allows us to cherish our time alone
and with others.

It allows us to prioritize our moments.

It allows us to acknowledge which experiences,
and which people
are worth fighting for.

My friends, we must never overlook
what a privelege it is

to feel the warmth of the morning sun
on our faces.