On Grief
In recent years, I've unfortunately become very acquainted with grief. Case in point - on Wednesday, I'm attending a funeral. To celebrate another life taken too soon, and to carry on this plane of existence.
Grief is a surreal experience. Life is both at a standstill, yet still moving. It doesn't feel right to carry on with the mundane tasks of living, after such a life-altering change - yet, that is all we can do.
I hold onto my memories and use mementos as touchstones.
I've been exploring this surreal, in-between limbo experience in my work as a way of processing my feelings. Particularly the sensation of stretched, asynchronous time, through time-stretching field recordings. When listening to time-stretched recordings, there's this sensation of movement-yet-not, where things are both in sharp relief, yet also otherworldly.
It's been cathartic using sound as a way of dealing with grief. It allows me to bypass the intellectualism of words - having to think of the best descriptors for emotions, then having to describe them to others. Sound taps straight into the heart.
It also makes me think about my own priorities in life, and whether I need to let go of some situations and projects because life is too short. You never know what happens around the corner. I'm grateful to be here, and I want to make sure that everything I do is full of intention and brings me joy.