Chapter 2 preamble

I am slowly dying. Every day, with every breath I take, I get closer to the end of my life.Because we are born with a fixed number of times we can breathe, every time I breathe, it means that the light of life is going towards the inevitable darkness. It's not easy to keep this in our minds all the time, especially when we're young and strong, but I've learned that it's important to keep thinking about it, not to complain or to sink into sorrow Among them, only because I sincerely face that one day I will die can I start to truly live.Of course, I have not always forced myself to be under the reality of mortality, but I believe that unless a person really understands and accepts that he will die, otherwise this shadow will follow him like a shadow, at least subconsciously.One day he will leave this place, this form of life, this state of consciousness and being, and become something else, whatever that is.Only when a man accepts with all sincerity the fact that he must die can he be freed from the fear of death.

It seems that many, many people compel themselves to do exactly the same routine every day, as if they were doing their daily duties with almost religious precision.They become animals that live by simple habits.There's some comfort in that familiarity, but there's another layer to it, which is their deep-rooted belief that as long as they try to keep everything the same, nothing will change.These everyday rituals are a way of trying to manipulate the world around them, but they can't.Because even if they do maintain the same life style day in and day out, death will come to them one day.

I have seen other people completely paralyzed by this most mysterious question in life, struggling to find answers to the unanswerable in every action and every word they say.Whether in the interpretation of some ancient scriptures or the vague signs of some natural phenomena, they have fooled themselves, thinking that they have found the ultimate truth, so long as their actions are in accordance with this truth, they will die after death. rewarded in life.It must have been an expression of the fear of death in their hearts, the false belief that we can shape and adorn eternity, curtain and furnish it with our own desires.On the way to Icewind Dale, I met a group of followers of Ilmater, the god of suffering. Their beliefs are so fanatical that they can beat each other without pain, and are willing to suffer torture and even death.Because they foolishly believe that doing so is the greatest devotion to their god.

I'm convinced they're wrong, although in the realm of the mystical beyond reality, I'm not sure of anything I know.I myself have faith and hope.I hope that Toknafein has attained eternal peace and joy, and pray with all my heart that I will meet him when I come to the threshold of the next form of existence after death. Perhaps in this matter, I think the most inappropriate are those who are considered sacred to the clergy, and take advantage of the common people's fear of death to benefit from them. "Give to the church!" they shouted. "Only in this way will you find salvation!" What's even better is that many religions will not ask believers for money directly, but they still insist that those who have a kind heart and a religious heart will definitely enter the heaven they describe, will Give the money willingly and willingly.

And of course, Toril is full of "Doomsday Cultists" who declare that the end of the world is imminent, and clamor for repentance and slavish devotion. I can only watch all this with cold eyes and then sigh, because death is the greatest mystery, so it is also something that only individuals can understand.Until that moment comes, none of us will know the truth about it, nor will we be able to confirm what we believe. This is the path we have to walk alone, but I am no longer afraid of this path, because I accept that it is inevitable, so I am free from it.Knowing that I will die one day, I have found the secret to enjoying every century, year, month, day, and even hour that I breathe.The current situation is out of my control, and it would be foolish to waste precious present time worrying about inevitable death.It is equally unwise to automatically assume that our lives will not end, and therefore not value every precious hour we have.

No matter how hard I try, I can't change the fact that I will die.I can only make sure that every moment I live is incredibly rich. — Drizzt Do'Urden