feminish

Sometimes I think thoughts like: Thank Heavens my life has had such and such a feeling in it, or such and such a beautiful view, or such and such laughter with friends. Surprisingly often I think: I would like to walk alone across the world (or some part of it) before I die.

But I wonder, were I not to do or feel these things before I die, Who would it be then, who hasn’t done them?

…

Perhaps it doesn’t matter if I don’t do them because I won’t be there to know that I never did them. Once I’m dead, it won’t maybe matter what I did or didn’t do for myself (who’ll no longer be around anyway). In fact, the only thing that will matter will be the ripples of my thoughts, words, actions and experience which will remain resonating among the still-living… every week, month and year a little softer, a little dimmer. It’s like when you think the bell has stopped ringing, but in fact, if you went up really really really close to the bell, perhaps even with a very sensitive instrument, you’d still perceive it vibrating.