The roller coaster of life… in one side of a duplex, a man lies dead in his lounge room. He has been depressed and not able to see a way out of his life situation. He has taken a bunch of pills and died. The police have come after the ambulance has declared him dead, because they now need to look at the circumstances around that death. The man was 51 years old, a teacher, a father, a brother… he left notes for his loved ones.

The one who found him, is outside of his home; pacing and smoking cigarettes. Her friends are on their way, they are coming to support her. She has to wait to speak to police. She doesn’t have a whole lot of information to give them, she has only been in the man’s world for a little while, they had just started dating. She is shaky. Her instinct to check on him, means that the man was found quite quickly… a cruel kindness for his children. It is cold outside, and it takes a long time. The process of death is not quick.

Right next door, the other side of the duplex, the house is full with another family. There are lots of kids of varying ages laughing and having a great time. It is a family dinner, pizza and good company. They are celebrating a 14th birthday… there is singing and cake. They are completely unaware of what has happened next door.

Life and death, side by side… a sharp and stinging reminder that the world will keep on turning regardless of what happens. Outside, 3 friends… widows who are constantly trying to navigate the fallout from the loss of someone important in their own worlds and are now caught up in this one as well. The black humour is vicious and almost immediate, anything to just get through this part… the fall out will come later.

The contrasts are everywhere… glorious beauty in the morning and cruel darkness at night. The lesson is to enjoy every minute of the good things that are everywhere. It can be too easy to let the darkness overwhelm everything and to see nothing but black… look a little bit closer… there can also be beauty in the dark – the stars don’t shine when the sun is out. Your family and friends love you x