my mother is a small town doctor

when i was young (five or so) she would take me with her to the emergency when she was on call

sometimes i would get to see the patient and their injuries

other times, i would wait in her office and stare, for what seemed like hours, at the (real!) skeleton that hung by her desk...i think back now to the thoughts that i had from that skeleton...knowing that it had once existed inside skin, with blood and guts like me...

my awareness of my inextinguishability is nothing new to me, and i think it really started with those times i would spend alone with the skeleton...