that, after the candlelight was doused,

“The end doesn’t always justify the means, dear,” she said. “But sometimes it does. Wisdom is knowing the difference.”

navigate this crossroad of her life.

“That which comes can’t be avoided.”

we must never shy away from what must be done, even if it offends our sensibilities.”

If I exist without form—a soul sparking between a billion different servers—could not the universe itself be alive with a spirit sparking between stars? I must sheepishly admit that I have dedicated far too many algorithms and computational resources toward finding an answer to this unknowable thing.