All my life I had lived on the presumption that there was no existence beyond... flesh, the moment of being alive... then nothing. I had searched in superstition... But there was nothing. Then I heard the sound of my own life leaving me. It was so... tender. I regretted that I had paid it no attention. Then I believed in the wisdom of what other men had found before me... I saw that those simple things might be true... I never wanted to believe in them because it was better to fight my own battle. You can believe in something without compromising the burden of your own existence.
The narrator reflects on a life spent questioning existence beyond physical life, initially feeling that there was nothing after death. This search for meaning led to a reliance on superstition, ultimately proving empty. However, as the narrator experiences the gentle departure of life, a shift occurs, prompting a reevaluation of beliefs and the acknowledgment of wisdom found in the simplicity of others' insights.
This realization brings forth a sense of regret for ignoring these truths in favor of personal struggles. The narrator recognizes that embracing beliefs doesn't diminish one's individual journey and acknowledges that understanding the wisdom of others can coexist with personal existence without sacrificing one’s own battles.
