Chinese said: When a bird dies, its song will mourn; and when a man dies, his words will be good.
The Westerners also say it closely: No one lies at his deathbed.
The famous French priest Ned During his lifetime, Ransom personally listened to the confessions and last words of the dying and recorded them in more than 60 diaries. But just as he was about to compile the diaries into a book called The Last Word and publish them, a fire caused by a major earthquake set all his diaries to the ground. It is a pity that Lansom, who was then 90 years old, will no longer be able to recall the contents of those diaries. If "The Last Word" can be published, it will undoubtedly be the most anticipated book in the world. On the tombstone of the famous St. Paul's Cathedral where he was buried, Ransom wrote in carved handwriting: If time could be turned back, half of the world's people would have become great men ...
Inspired by this, Yuan Yuan (yǐ) Cheng spent $350 in a small advertisement in the New York Times many years ago when he was a graduate student in psychology at New York University, in order to collect various last words as first-hand material:
Here are some of the stories the author has collected:
(1) The lifelong remorse of the postman
A passionate couple who are separated by the war, the boy is sent to a foreign country as a warrior to experience the war, the girl is the courage to survive; and the woman is also eagerly looking forward to the safe return of the boy, and the letter is the only way for the two sides to communicate with each other before. Later, because the postman coveted the girl's beauty and was confused, he privately intercepted the correspondence between them, and then the girl became weaker and finally died of illness, and the man's letters became less and less, and he did not know whether he had died. In the end, the postman realized his sin and went away all his life, guarding this secret and dying alone.
The postman said: "From birth, the human heart has been installed by God on an automatic and precise balance, that is, the conscience. Everything that has been done has been recorded, measured, and left behind. What should not be done, even if no one knows, will eventually be maintained by the other end of the scale with the insecurity of conscience as a punishment that cannot be escaped for a lifetime. ”
20210510 photographed next to the Building Energy Efficiency Center of South China University of Technology
(2) The dying confession of the Paragon compilation drama
The first half of his life was indulgent, uninhibited, and galloping in love, like most rich children of that era, living a life of squandering youth and talents. Eleven years ago, he had a sudden myocardial infarction and did not die. It was the experience of rubbing shoulders with death that made him sober. After being discharged from the hospital, he began to live in seclusion in the countryside. He tried to streamline his life, firmly rejecting everything he had previously found difficult to say "no," including offending friends. He refused all social and material enjoyment, and only did what he wanted to do from the heart every day.
The Hundred Elders compilation drama said: "Drama condenses life, in which in addition to love and hate, life and old age, illness and death, the rest are idle nonsense. Love and hate are the driving force behind everything that everyone does, whether it is a cause or a war, it is a means to express these fundamental needs, and people themselves are not aware of it. Adam Smith said: What are we working so hard and going back and forth in this world for? What is the purpose of all these greeds and desires, all these pursuits of wealth, power and fame? At the end of the day, it's about getting the love and approval of others. ...... I never knew that the joy of inner peace was so real and touching, so straight to the bottom of the heart, touching every cell, so intoxicating and fascinating. Watching the leaves outside the window flutter in every breeze, listening to the chirping of birds, and carefully tasting the clarity and humidity of the air, I felt that I was truly living in this moment, 100% for myself. I can feel the most basic connection between myself and the world, with nature, with every grass and bird, with the moon and with the floating clouds..."
20210516 taken at the exit of Yuangang Subway Station
(3) The last wild words of vietnam veterans
A Vietnam Veteran is a Vietnam Veteran, Homeless, AIDS Man. The experience of this war devastated the veteran's physical health (losing a leg) and his mental health, and when the Vietnam War was widely questioned and cursed, the veteran began to feel worthless, shameful and sad for his experience, and even the medals he received after the Vietnam War became a scrap of iron.
Vietnam Veterans said: "Never let other people's ideals lead you, you must have your own ideals, no matter what it is, even if you are a plumber, don't use war as a man's ideal." When life disappears, everything is a passing cloud! There are many forms of brainwashing in modern people, but remember that your life is at least as valuable as that of politicians, and the patriotic ideas that politicians preach are never practiced by themselves; what they really care about is whether they can use war as a bargaining chip to win the election or re-election of presidents or senators, not for the benefit of the country, let alone for your own interests. Because they are only human beings, they are nothing more noble than you and me. The sacrifice of countless soldiers will only add honor and seniority to these people, the so-called "one will achieve ten thousand bones". I don't want to see any young man repeat my worthless life, a shameful life, a miserable and spurned life. All this is because I have been tricked into going to a war that seems to be just, and in exchange for the pain and life of others, anything that cannot be just is returned! ”
20210525 taken after the rain on Wushan Street
(4) The advice of Wall Street stockbrokers
Stockbrokers who have been playing in the stock market on Wall Street for many years, told by doctors that they have pancreatic cancer and have little to lose, want to leave a few heartfelt words to the world: "Never believe anyone unconditionally." Even if he/she is the person you most want to believe, the lover who has sworn the oath of the mountain, the friend of the decades, the acquaintance, the elder, the soldier, whether it is the revolutionary they claim to be for the common good, the politician who vows to transform society, or the people who claim to believe in God – because human nature is one thing that can never be insured.
You must not ask for anything, what you guarantee, because it is like grasping the sand with your hand, and the result is often empty. Feelings are impermanent beings, coming and going, and everything can only go with nature, just like dealing with the ups and downs, occurrences and demises of everything in the universe. It is a blessing to be able to last, but to demand must become the source of suffering. ”
20210526 photographed in Building 27, South China University of Technology
(5) The last words of super obese people
A woman suffering from excessive obesity and complications, even if she knows that she will not live long, does not have harsh demands and fantasies about love. "As long as I live one day, I must find someone who loves me, even if he is just a ridiculous and imaginary existence." 」
Super obese people say: "Because a person's feelings have no sustenance is more terrible than death, even for a person who is obese like me." I also believe that countless people in the world, even if they are not obese like me, will be looking for love in different forms, who dares to say that they do not need it? In a person's life, no matter how fat, thin, beautiful, ugly, and without love, what is left? Is the right to love only a small number of people? All obese people like me, or poor looks, or disabled people, will only need love more than the average person, because their lives have been missing, so they need more love to fill the gap. If parents can understand this truth, I am afraid that there will be many unfortunate people or criminals in the world. If I had the privilege of being a mother of many children in my next life, I would certainly give the ugliest, stupidest, or fattest child the most love, just as I have given to myself in my head in this lifetime. I will continue to spend the rest of my life in the fantasy world of finding love, whether I can live for years, months, or just a few days,......."
20210527 at West Lake of South China University of Technology (West District Playground Exit)
(6) The double life of the editor-in-chief of a famous magazine
At the same time, the editor-in-chief of a famous magazine who loves two women deeply and has lived between two families for more than 30 years, suffering from cancer, has a small chance of survival, and for many years, he has been deeply condemned, struggling and self-blamed, but he cannot give up any of the two women in his life, and finally the editor-in-chief is relieved, not caring about today's marriage customs, but bravely accepting the arrival of love and being grateful.
The editor-in-chief of the famous magazine said: "That is, whether people in the world are rich or poor, racial differences, peddlers and pawns or dignitaries, and their level of education is high or low, they have no list of the most basic emotional needs and weaknesses of human beings, and they are all likely to struggle and suffer for the constraints of social customs and moral norms." A person who has truly been loved by others and who has truly loved others is a person who has not been vain in this life; as for achievements and fame, it is only the icing on the cake. ”
20210528 photographed in the square in front of the Yi Madame Cultural Hall of South China University of Technology