“What made you realize?” My lips quirk up in a genuine smile. “Oliver. And your brother. And later, Dante and Enzo. They reminded me that there was more to life than survival. They showed me that survival is the very minimum of what we should aim for, and that if I dared hope for more, I’d discover an entire kaleidoscope of parts that make up the act of living. Surviving is what is at the very core of our being. Our bodies and minds instinctively adapt in order to ensure our survival, but love, friendships, laughter, trust, all of those are what truly make us feel alive.”
