In a world where getting older often means living with limitations, being able to imagine and think freely is a luxury we shouldn’t take for granted.

I remember when I was a kid, my school teacher encouraged me to read books. Books can transport our imagination anywhere—there is no limit to what we can explore. Through reading, I could dive deep into the ocean to discover sunken ancient civilizations, or travel into outer space to meet strange alien worlds.

Through books, we share our passions and dreams across generations. It is as if we never truly grow old and die, so long as someone out there is reading our story.

I wasn’t able to talk much with my grandfather because he passed away when I was only five years old. However, he wrote many books. Through his writings, I came to know how he thought and felt, even thirty years after he passed away. Amazing, isn’t it?

Every time I walk through a graveyard, I see so many names carved into the tombstones. I didn’t know who those people were when they were alive, yet I am certain that behind every name lies a universe of stories, dreams, and passions.

Death is a fascinating equalizer. No matter who you are or what you have accomplished—whether you were a loving parent, a great general, or a humble pauper—in front of death, we are all the same. There are no exceptions.

Interestingly, spiritual traditions across the world teach that life continues after death, whether through reincarnation or by transitioning to another realm. It is an assurance that our story is preserved by the universe.

Therefore, creating a good story while we are alive matters deeply. The life we live today determines the story recorded in the universe, and I believe the next chapter of our soul’s journey will simply continue from the last line we wrote here.