Death gives things value and meaning. It’s only because death exists that we choose one thing over another. It’s only because we expect to die that our lives can assume an importance, a festive taste, be fruitful and even joyful. Knowing that our time is limited is the only motivator against wasting time – the worst kind of wastefulness. We must work diligently, Tolstoy said, because our work could be terminated at any given moment, and because – in the face of death – there’s no point in doing things that are unimportant to us. Knowing that we will die is what motivates us to deal with the
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