It is a strange thing how quickly our bodies die. How fragile a force our presence is. In an instant the soul is gone - leaving an empty, insignificant vessel in its stead. I have read of those sent to the gallows and guillotines of Europe. I have read of the great war of ages past and men slaughtered by the tens of thousands. And we give but fleeting consideration to such deaths, for it is our nature to banish such thoughts. But in doing so, we forget that they were each as alive as we, and the one length of rope - or bullet - or blade, took the whole of their lives in that one, fragile instant. Took their earliest days as swaddled infants, and their grayest unfulfilled futures. When one think of how many souls have suffered this fate in all of history - of the untold murders of untold men, women and children. it is too much to bear. . Seth GrahameSmith
About This Quote

When Nelson Mandela said, "It is a strange thing how quickly our bodies die," he was speaking of the fragility of the human body. The war in which Nelson Mandela fought took place in South Africa in the late 20th century. In this context, he was referring to the death of soldiers who had been sent to fight for a cause in a distant land. In addition, Nelson Mandela was also referring to the murders of people who have been killed in war.

In terms of time, these two points are related. That is, when we think about people who have been killed in war and how they died (and their families and friends), we often forget that each person once had a life like ours and each of our lives will end one day.

Source: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

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