The Reality of Death

Recently, I lost one of my chickens.

Something got into the chicken run, and in the aftermath, I had to kill the animals responsible. It wasn’t enjoyable. It wasn’t satisfying. It was simply necessary.

This is a part of life that many people prefer not to look at directly. But living close to land, animals, and food has a way of removing that illusion. Death is not an abstract concept—it is immediate, embodied, and unavoidable.

We often like to believe that we can live without causing harm. That through the right choices—ethical sourcing, plant-based diets, or careful consumption—we can step outside the cycle of death. But this isn’t true.

Even in veganism, death is present.

Emerging research continues to challenge our assumptions about consciousness in the natural world. Plants, long considered passive, show signs of complex communication and responsiveness. Acacia trees, for example, release chemical signals when eaten, warning nearby trees to increase tannin production and become bitter. Underground fungal networks facilitate the transfer of carbon and nutrients between plants, supporting those in need.

To live is to consume. And to consume is, in some form, to end another organism’s existence.

That reality carries weight.

It means that survival is not neutral. It is not consequence-free. Every meal, whether animal or plant, is part of a larger exchange—one that sustains us while ending others.

But recognizing this truth does not mean becoming paralyzed or obsessive. It does not mean trying to eliminate all harm—that is impossible. Nor does it justify carelessness.

Instead, it calls for something deeper: intention.

To live with awareness. To act with restraint where possible. To take only what is needed. To acknowledge the cost of our survival rather than hide from it.

There is a kind of respect that comes from this posture—a grounded, honest relationship with the living world. Not romanticized. Not sanitized. But real.

Death is not separate from life. It is woven into it.

And if we are willing to face that, we may begin to live with a greater sense of responsibility, humility, and reverence for the lives that sustain our own.