The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily 1393: The Night Where You No Longer Live by Meghan O’Rourke
Nov 11, 2025
Explore the delicate balance between life and death as questions of mortality surface. Reflect on how children’s honest curiosity contrasts with adults’ hesitance to ask tough questions after a loss. Delve into a poignant poem addressing grief and remembrance, creating a space for the unanswerable. The heartfelt exploration of these themes invites listeners to embrace the complexity of love and loss.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Curiosity Drives Grief Questions
- Maggie Smith observes that human curiosity drives us to ask painful questions about death and dying.
- She frames children's blunt questions as a model for honest seeking we often lose as adults.
Life Flash As Film Or Reel
- Maggie Smith recounts imagining life-flash moments as film montages or modern Instagram reels.
- She contrasts adult restraint with children's frankness when asking difficult questions.
Limits And Yearning About Death
- People naturally wonder about others' dying experiences, including pain, consciousness, and perception.
- Maggie Smith highlights that curiosity persists despite limits to our knowledge.