I was inspired to write this some time ago, but was genuinely unsure if my story would be of interest to anyone. But here I am, eager, hopeful, anxious. This story traces back to slightly more than a decade ago. A very sudden and painful loss in the family thrust me into an inner conflict of sorts. Forced to deal with questions surrounding life and death and the very purpose of our existence, I found myself retreating from social life, wincing at every other seemingly inconse