Thanks. [ he glances down at their hands, contemplating. mostly thinking about his mom. that's ... well, it's not having an existential crisis anymore, so that's kind of an improvement? but it also makes him sad. soft left turn into sadness. he's been alive much, much longer than the time he even had her in his life and it's still a loss he feels every day. he couldn't feel that about finn, not when he was right here beside him and holding his hand and letting him rest his head against his shoulder. this is why he couldn't just stop and accept things. he refuses. ]

My mom always believed that things happen for a reason. Even really horrible things. Sometimes horrible things have to happen around us, or to us, to help remind us of what's important. To keep the galaxy in balance. Because it is a good place, but sometimes ... we lose sight of things. But it comes back around. I believe that, too. It makes the bad things hurt a little less, sometimes.