Love your take. I think it rings very true. We had that conversation in 2012, and in 2018 I wrote the poem "Elephants," inspired by his passing comment, which back then I thought was absolutely profound - way over my head. The poem helped me to process his comment, to process my fear of silence.

Out of seven children with a sister passing in 1983, three of us would go no contact - about a decade between us so there was no influencing the other's decision. It was not an easy decision, actually extremely painful. I would rather live on a postage stamp of peace than inside a mansion of chaos. I had to learn to love people from afar for my own survival.

Thanks so much for your comment. It's also profound.