Chapter 6 - Coping
Steven's emotions overflow as he shares his struggle with coping in the wake of losing so many of his closest family members. He expresses how the size and scattered nature of his extended family have made it difficult for him to maintain or even begin new relationships.
STEVEN
(tearfully)
I'm finding it hard to continue coping with life, with so many of my closest family members just dying. And with such a large and widespread extended family, it's been next to impossible to maintain or even start relationships with them. There are just so many of them living in so many places around most of the planet... I haven't been able to handle it anymore.
He reminisces about the past and the sense of purpose he once felt in his life when he was surrounded by the people he loved the most.
STEVEN
(sobbing)
I haven't had a purpose in life like I did when I had my career, my wife, my children, my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren. Those were the times when I felt complete, surrounded by love and warmth.
Tears continue to flow from his eyes as he speaks about the few things he still has in his life, feeling an emptiness that is difficult to fill.
STEVEN
(crying)
The only thing I have left is the Gems and my hobbies, which mostly involve my books and obsessing over my past through everything that was recorded and my memories. These memories have only gotten stronger and clearer with age, probably because of the gem...
He sighs, feeling overwhelmed and saddened by the way his memories and thoughts have transformed over time, plaguing him with sorrow and longing.
STEVEN
(exhausted)
And they have just been turning into my nightmares, haunting me with the ghosts of my past and the pain of my losses.
Steven's pain is palpable, and it becomes clear that he's struggling to find a way to move forward in life without the loved ones who once filled his days with purpose, love, and joy. The challenge of finding new meaning in his life weighs heavily on him.