The Last Ritual

written by Valis Teoh

This is for the times when the memories are too painful to bear, when sorrow plagues your waking hours and the burden is too heavy to carry. This is the last ritual before your new remembering, and hopefully, the last of Last Rituals.

This is how we put to sleep the pain that hampers your spirit.

First, you gather the things of your past.

The ones that remind you too much of what has long gone.

The ones that haunt you of the things you should’ve have done,

Or failed to do.

Gather them, and feel their weight in your hands for one last time.

Feel the sorrow that permeates from them, but do not linger,

For this is the last time you will feel it.

Recount how much you have grown since then,

How much joy you have brought to the people around you.

Then, one by one, let them be consumed by cleansing flames.

Watch them turn into ash and smoke,

Scattered into the wind.

Tell the dust that settles:

You no longer have power over me.

Nor will I continue letting you cause me pain.

I have learned and grown so much.

And I will keep doing so without you.

It is time to move on.

It is time to for a new remembering,

One better than the last.