Lifecycles

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Move your foot. Close your eyes. Surrender.

DNA replicates. Have I wasted my time? What am I doing with my life? Cells divide, they die, daughter cells divide. Viruses sneak in and add themselves to the DNA of the cell. T-Cells target and destroy infected cells. Shivers and fever set in. Do I want to do this forever? How are cells that different from people? People reproduce, they die, their children reproduce. People sicken and die, but are not put out of their misery even as humanely as an animal. They are made to suffer through the pain and dying. They are made to grow old and skeletal and deaf and they are ignored. They are lonely and isolated but reunion with those who've gone before is delayed yet again as dawn breaks and their eyes open. Their own grandchildren are unsure how to interact with them; their children have lives of their own. They lay in bed and stare at the window. Reminiscing? Remembering a lose spouse or child or pet? Reliving childhood? Trying to recall what's been forgotten? Or hoping that each day will be the last? That tomorrow will, for them, not come? That the ache and weakness of being alone and old and incontinent will end because the breaths have ceased?

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Close your eyes. Surrender. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Stop.