Latin: "Remember you must die."
Smoke
There is a thin, wafting wisp of smoke
rising from a recently extinguished candle
There is an unmistakable
acrid and smoky scent
of the blackened wick
mingling with the lingering fragrance
of the candle itself
It is a poignant reminder
that regardless of how vital,
significant, or necessary
we believe ourselves to be—
and we should value our lives deeply—
we will one day pass
from this life into the next
Like the candle,
our light burns brightly
for a season.
The fragrance of our presence
may linger in the memories of others
long after the flame is gone,
but the smoke reminds us
that every earthly life is finite.
Memento mori
This is not a call
to fear death,
but an invitation
to live fully
to dance unhesitantly
to change the air around you
to burn brightly
before the wick
grows cold
© Ron Simpson Jr.
September 30, 2026
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