Such stories set us thinking, wondering what we should do under similar circumstances. What events, what experiences, what associations should we crowd into those last hours as mortal beings What happiness should we find in reviewing the past, what regrets
Sometimes I have thought it would be an excellent rule to live each day as if we should die tomorrow. Such an attitude would emphasize sharply the values of life. We should live each day with a gentleness, a vigor5, and a keenness of appreciation6 which are often lost when time stretches before us in the constant panorama7 of more days and months and years to come. There are those, of course, who would adopt the Epicurean motto of Eat, drink, and be merry, but most people would be chastened by the certainty of impending8 death.
In stories the doomed hero is usually saved at the last minute by some stroke of fortune, but almost always his sense of values is changed. he becomes more appreciative9 of the meaning of life and its permanent spiritual values. It ahs often been noted10 that those who live, or have lived, in the shadow of death bring a mellow11 sweetness to everything they do.
大家大伙都读过一些让人激动的故事，这类故事里的主人公仅仅活在有限并且特定的时间内，有时长达一年，有时短到２４小时。但大家一直感兴趣发现，那命中注定要死的是那些有选择自由的人，而不是那些活动范围被严格限定了的判了刑的犯人。
如此的故事让大家考虑，在一样的状况下，大家该如何解决，作为终有一死的人，在那最后的几个小时内安排啥事件，什么历程，什么交往？在回顾往事时，大家该找到什么快乐？什么悔恨？
有时我想到，过好每一天是个很好的习惯，好像大家明天就会死去。这种态度鲜明地强调了生命的价值。大家应该以高雅、的精力充沛、的善知乐趣的方法过好每一天。而当岁月推移，在常常瞻观将来之时日、的将来之年月中，这类又常常失去。当然，也有人愿按伊壁鸠鲁的信条吃、的喝和欢乐去生活。（译注：伊壁鸠鲁是古希腊哲学家，他觉得生活的主题目的是享乐，而最高的享受唯通过适当的生活，如自我控制才能得到。由于生活享受的目的被过分强调，而达此目的之方法被忽略，所以伊壁鸠鲁的信徒如今变为追求享乐的人。他们的信条是：让大家吃喝，由于明天大家就死亡），但绝大部分人还是被马上面临死亡的势必性所折磨。
在故事里，注定要死的主人公总是在最后一刻由某种命的突变而得救，但几乎一直他的价值观被改变了。他们对生活的意义和它永恒的精神价值变得更具赏析力了。常常看到那些生活或已生活在死亡的阴影之中的大家都赋予他们所做的每件事以芳醇甜美。
