The difference between a non-suicide and an ex-suicide leaving the house for work, at eight o'clock on an ordinary morning:The non-suicide is a little traveling suck of care, sucking care with him from the past and being sucked toward care in the future. His breath is high in his chest.The ex-suicide opens his front door, sits down on the steps, and laughs. Since he has the option of being dead, he has nothing to lose by being alive. It is good to be alive. He goes to work because he doesn't have to.
by Walker Percy
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In Walker Percy's "Lost in the Cosmos," he contrasts the experiences of a non-suicide and an ex-suicide as they leave for work in the morning. The non-suicide carries worries and burdens from the past while also anticipating future responsibilities, indicating a sense of struggle and pressure. His breath is shallow, reflecting his concerns and the weight of his obligations.
In contrast, the ex-suicide approaches life differently. Having faced death and chosen...
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