If a lifetime is but a flash, Text Postcard, Green Island

My dad said, a lifetime flashes by in an instant, and we've reached the final chapter. I pondered, what exactly does "a flash of an instant" feel like? That day, Dad was undergoing his fifth round of chemotherapy. He forgot his phone at the hospital, so Mom brought it to him after work. She then said she’d stay with him at the hospital that night too. In reality, sleeping in the hospital is impossible, and Dad always told Mom not to bother, but she’d go anyway. After dinner, my sister and I returned home to a dark, unlit house. I said, "We're home to a house without Mom and Dad." My sister then told me not to say such frightening things. Yes, it is truly frightening. But this is something that will inevitably happen one day in the future. Thinking of that day, of a home where the lights won't be on waiting for me to return... All of this fills me with dread. Life's inevitable losses are life's inevitable solitude. This solitude knows no wealth or status; all beings are equal. This is a shared human experience, a fundamental aspect of life. I can only keep thinking, how can life, even with its unavoidable solitude, move towards fulfillment... And the answer, I believe, is likely love. Cherish every moment, and love with your whole being. "In this life of tears and laughter, meeting you was truly wonderful." I want to be able to say this, with a smile and tears, when I face every "last" in my life. "We often find ourselves in a home without our children. Your brother is abroad, and it’s not easy for the family to reunite, so the days we do come together are even more precious to cherish... There are no feasts that last forever. As generations of family members pass on, the reluctance, sadness, and grief are unavoidable. Don't overthink the future; cherish the time we have together now. Trust that no matter what the future holds, we will have no regrets!" If this life is but a fleeting moment... then let us truly gaze.