Om Mani Padme Hum

I was working on this piece when our beloved cat, Tobi, suddenly passed away. A few days earlier he had begun to fade, but we didn't realize how little time he had left.
As I played my guitar, searching for harmonic notes while he sat in front of me, I felt the sadness of his final days. In response, I reversed my arpeggio so it fell like gentle rain.
By the time the guitar piece was finished, Tobi had gone. Wanting to accompany him with a Buddhist chant, I discovered *Om Mani Padme Hum* ("Jewel in the Lotus"), a mantra traditionally associated with Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. It is chanted to cultivate compassion, support both humans and animals, and bring comfort in times of grief.
The ending became my way of peacefully sending him on his journey, into the light. Each of the six syllables carries its own symbolic meaning.