April 26

I do find Saunders’ question at issue in Lincoln in the Bardo to be quite loaded because the goal is that we are ultimately supposed to continue to love because love comes from care, loyalty, attentiveness, and if we stop giving that love in favor of individualism, then there is no community and just an empty and growing loneliness. I don’t think I grew a deeper understanding of morality as much as I grew a deeper understanding of relationships and how difficult it is to maintain gratitude and love for other people when you’re faced with losing, to death or otherwise, the objects of your love. It is much harder to continue giving all of your energy and time to other people when it seems that you lose them all eventually, but you have to persevere in love to make this conditional life even worth it.