Memento Mori.

In the end,

There is only death.

It's a concept I've struggled with often. Not necessarily via interpretation or meaning, but fully digesting it. Internalizing it.

The inevitability of death is utterly, brutally terrifying. It's in the idea of a life cut short, the act of achieving & climbing the ladder ascending to your goals, but failing to entirely leave your mark — that is a truly horrifying thought.

I can imagine it is for you, as well.

You stand before the clock of eternity, its design bereft of the usual hands, its flat surface kin to a sun dial. Instead, you yourself serve as its hands, guided by a demiurgic force coursing through you. Every ticking, passing second, a new, monolithic titan is forged from the zephyrs of time — a new being of your subconscious creation. Each, resembling you physically.

What one would fail to realize off first glance: whilst recherche in their own ways, these are just versions of you, manifestations from your different thoughts. Or, rather, what you could become.

You can become your quintessence.

You are the stars beneath the moonlight, & the clouds along the azure horizon.

Everything yet nothing revolves around you; you simply move with the currents & adapt accordingly.

I say this to say to both you and myself: stop wasting time dreading the past. Stop wasting time looking into the future. Stop wasting time investing your energy in the wrong places. If you want things to change, & change for the better — if you want to become the quintessential version of yourself you envision — you have to evolve past that which brought you turmoil & doubt, & rise in the end. Only then will you have mastered the art of stoicism, & find your equilibrium in helpful settings or helpful activities where you normally wouldn't be at or do.

In the end, let us embrace the dance of life, knowing that each step forward is a testament to our resilience and strength. Let us seize the present moment with unwavering determination, forging our path towards greatness with every heartbeat. For in the grand tapestry of existence, our legacy is not measured by the fleeting sands of time, but by the indelible mark we leave on the world. So let us live boldly, love fiercely, and create tirelessly, for memento mori — in the end, there is only the beautiful symphony of a life well-lived.