"It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens." - Woody Allen

A man walks down the busy streets of a bustling city, lost in thought. Everywhere he looks there is noise, chaos, and movement as the world rushes and buzzes around him. His mind is preoccupied with one simple phrase: "It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens," a quote attributed to the famous American film director and writer Woody Allen.

The statement is a reminder of the human condition, of the way in which we all grapple with mortality and the inevitable end that lies ahead. It's a fear shared by many, a feeling that we would all rather avoid.

But in this bustling city, where everyone is running to and fro, how many people are actually stopping to think about their own mortality? How many are truly considering the legacy they wish to leave, the memories they hope to preserve as they take their final breath?

The man walking down the street is preoccupied by this question. He wanders through the city, trying to process the idea that his time here is limited, and that one day, before he knows it, it could all be over. He wonders if he'll be ready for that moment, and if there will be anything he can do to ensure that he will not be there when it happens.

The man passes by bookstores, cafes, and antique shops, each holding their own promises of immortality - the promise of the written word, the promise of a good story well told. He can't help but stop in front of one of the stores, to try and make sense of his own thoughts as he reads the window display.

A middle-aged woman catches his eye. She is shuffled off a bus, her movements slowed by age and years of hard work. The man watches her hobble along the sidewalk, the years visible in her face, the pain in her eyes. Is he walking in fear of his mortality, he wonders, or is he merely in awe of the strength of others?

He continues on his way, deep in thought, when he notices an elderly couple laughing in a cafe, enjoying the simple pleasures of life. They seem content, happy, he thinks. Are they afraid of their mortality too? Does laughter help to mask the fear? Or does it simply provide a momentary escape from it?

The man wanders on, lost in his thoughts. Eventually he finds himself in a quiet park, watching the leaves dance in the breeze, and the children as they play on the swings. He thinks about the quote that sparked this day of reflection, and wonders if this is what Woody Allen's quote is really about - simply not wanting to be there when it happens, but finding beauty and joy in the moments in between.

With this thought in mind, the man takes a deep breath and smiles. He realises that it may be more about the beauty in the moments in between, and he takes a walk through the park, watching the children play and the leaves dance. He feels a sense of peace, and for a moment, the fear of mortality seems like a distant dream.