Hope stayed. But it struggled.
Every new experience was overwhelming. Every sensation was too much. Every emotion was terrifying.
“I do not understand how you bear it,” Hope said on the tenth day. “How do you exist with so much input. So much feeling. So much constant awareness of everything.”
We were outside. Teaching Hope about nature. About the cycles of life and death that make existence continue.
“You get used to it. Your consciousness learns to filter. Learns what matters and what does not. Learns to exist without being overwhelmed.” I watched a butterfly land on a flower. “See that? The butterfly lives for maybe two weeks. Its entire existence is brief. Fragile. But it still matters. Still has purpose. Still brings beauty.”
Hope drifted toward the butterfly. Studied it carefull
