# A deep life

Author: Ed Parry
Canonical URL: https://edparry.com/a-deep-life
Published: 2026-11-10
Updated: 2026-11-10T13:42:33.752Z

Original link: https://substack.com/@fieldnotesfromthewild/note/c-307117347

> what I actually want, when I strip everything else away:
> 
> a little land. a dog. a door I can leave open. people I love within reach but not always underfoot. work that means something. a tree I watch change through every season.
> 
> not a big life. a deep one.

Every time work gets stressful, or I feel like I'm falling behind trying to keep up with AI, I have the same morbid thought: in the end, no one cares at all about any of this. My gravestone won't mention the hours I worked, or the views my website got, or how much money I make (or don't!). It'll mention family, and relationships. Those are the things we should all prioritise, they're the things that can bring genuine and lasting happiness, and they're the things - at the end - that truly matter.