The fog

The fog swirled in front of him as he jogged along, obscuring anything ahead that might come his way. The occasional car passed by, its headlights useless against the gray abyss, swallowed by the oblivion. He did not know why he thought it would be a good idea to keep jogging once the fog arrived, but he pushed on regardless. The isolation caused by the fog brought on a strange sense of introspection and existentialism. To his mind, the fog is death itself, all-surrounding and all-consuming. The strange silence about him did not improve his mood, and only served to keep his thoughts on track, to push them toward deeper despair. This happened often when nothing distracted him, the emptiness and sorrow and regret and anxiety bred in the absence of interference from the outside world. His mind is an island, upon which he shipwrecked long ago. Unable to escape, he can only contemplate the deeper, more horrible aspects of existence, the kinds of thoughts people live their whole lives actively ignoring. For if one were to stop and stare this abyss in the face, it would consume you, and that is why one must stay busy. Some play with the fire, some are burned, and some badly. Some are consumed by it completely, and leave the others behind to their ways of distraction and ignorance. But most block it completely. It is not nice, or enjoyable, or happy to think about these things. And yet it is important. There are important lessons that can be learned from the void, from just dipping in your fingers or toes, hands or feet. It can teach you much if only you are strong enough to resist jumping into the black waters. The urge is strong, it will grow with knowledge and introspection, but it can be fought. It must be fought, for it lies to you. It tells truths but whispers deceptions, untruths like that knowledge and release can be found from diving in. But diving in does not bring enlightenment. No, it only brings further darkness, for darkness cannot bring light. The knowledge it gives is valuable, but the lies it tells are powerful too, and one must distinguish. Diving in brings not peace, but eternal helplessness and anxiety, for it destroys knowledge. It is deceit itself, this void, approach and learn with caution. To stop a moment in time, to orbit this black hole and gain a new perspective from its dark knowledge, requires a strong will to resist the pull of its gravity. And yet, it is good that not all stop to stare into the void, for not all have a strong enough will. Do not let the others dive in, it will not bring peace or happiness. It will bring death alone, and a ripple of sadness will go out on the eternal waters, an echo unanswered, a wail unending. He jogged along, one foot in front of the other, a constant pace, a brave venture, not daring to stop, for the race must be finished, even when the fog consumes.

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