For matter, existence is. But for living substance, mere existence is insufficient. Life must reach beyond, must compel itself to be. This is the condition of its being, for Life’s essence is constituted in the reach for possibilities. As Life reaches, Death’s encirclement collapses possibilities; consequently it is tempting to believe that the central task of Life should be the throwing of its encirclement. Such a belief, however, fails to comprehended that the circles Death inscribes are born from Life’s churning.
Life is process. Its process continually unfolds its becoming; consequently, Life is always incomplete.
Incompleteness compels Life’s reach. Death’s gaze gives reach urgency. Longing wells up as reach presses against encirclement, for longing is no mere affectation. It is the shadow cast by the entanglement of Life’s hope for possibilities and the torment of their denial. To minimize torment is to stifle hope. To do so is to deny Life’s unfolding. So longing must be. For Life to shine the shine of Ultramateriality, it must accept the shadow which confirms Ultramateriality’s presence. Longing cast the shadow of Death’s presence. Longing confirms our desire to be. Success hides being by masking Life’s shadow. Failure’s calling compels Life to contemplate its shadow. Suffering opens Understanding to vulnerability. Death summons Life to taste the preciousness of temporality. By this taste, Life
confesses that each moment is a gift. By this confession, Life acknowledges that it is Death which has summoned it across the surface of existence to drink in living. By this confession Life understands that Longing is the reflection of its being.
The fallen angels understands this entangled intimacy. Their understanding fills them with unquenchable longing. Their confessions call forth the urgency of living, for it is not enough to merely exist. To live, Life must drink the torment of longing. To live, suffering must be. Life confirms its being when existence look into the face of Death and persist.