I understood what she was getting at. If life continues again and again, where does meaning live? What’s the point of wanting anything, building anything, or becoming anything at all?

Being in denial is a choice, though sometimes it’s not a conscious one. Many of us were taught how things are "supposed" to look and feel, so we cling to how things should be instead of facing how they actually are.

In Emptiness, there lies ultimate spiritual freedom. A soul, unbound, is free to access any dimension of consciousness. But does Emptiness have an application in the physical world, especially for those of us still experiencing the material plane here on Earth?

As I went about everyday life cool, calm, and collected, my mind was the complete opposite. It was hyper-alert and restless. Like TikTok, it played, replayed, and commented on every scenario and conversation that happened in the past hours, months, and years.