Summary

The web content is a personal essay reflecting on the cruel nature of life, as experienced through the author's loss of their brother-in-law to cancer at the age of 33, and is conveyed through a poem and its explanation.

Abstract

Seven years after the unexpected death of the author's brother-in-law to cancer, the essay explores the harsh and unpredictable nature of life through a poem titled "Life is

Life is Cruel

A poem within a poem within a story

Will Gray — Photo shared courtesy of author

7 years ago today, my brother-in-law was taken away, far too early, at the age of 33. Cancer blindside him, blindsided us all. And that’s when I learned that life is cruel.

I hope you know life is cruel Like Hamilton and Burr, we’re in a duel Where one flies away, the other the fool No explanation, that’s just the rule

And if you thought it must be a duel Really, well, it’s really just not that cool It’s more like cancer that catches you nude You’re left bare and alone and low on fuel

A life once prized just like a jewel Has now gone empty far too soon Loved ones left us with some kind of mood I didn’t know life was so rude

Words behind the poem

I hope you know life is cruel (I didn’t know. I thought our prayers would be answered. I thought he’d be healed. I thought we’d make it to the other side. We didn’t.).

Like Hamilton and Burr, we’re in a duel (Life picks us off. One at a time. Often with no rhyme, reason, or purpose, it just does.)

Where one flies away, the other the fool (One goes to heaven, the other left a fool, left with all the questions, the heartache, the mystery.)

No explanation, that’s just the rule (The rule is, we never get to know why someone is taken away.)

And if you thought it must be a duel (We often don’t get to determine our outcomes; they happen to us.)

Really, well, it’s really just not that cool (Life’s mystery can be very cool, death’s mystery is simply cruel.)

It’s more like cancer that catches you nude (Will received his diagnosis of a head cold and 9 months later, died of cancer.)

You’re left bare and alone and low on fuel (He was left on a feeding tube, unable to lie down, being pushed in a wheelchair and not being able to speak.)

A life once prized just like a jewel (He was the prince of human beings. Kind, compassionate, gracious, talented, loving.)

Has now gone empty far too soon (Most lives leave us too soon and some leave us far too soon.)

Loved ones left us with some kind of mood (We are left with so many feelings and emotions to grapple with the rest of our lives.)

I didn’t know life was so rude (That’s when I learned how cruel life can be.)

Another one of life mystery’s is that we can take all that cruelness, all that hurt, all that heartache and turn it into compassion, turn it into grace, and turn it into something beautiful.

So yes, it is, life is cruel

But hope is there, waiting for you

So even in mystery, a full moon

You’re not alone, I love you too