LEAVE THEM BE

In which a man decides to change the fate of others.

Malba Tahan tells the story of a man who came across an angel in the desert and gave him water. "I am the angel of death and have come to find you", said the angel. "But since you have been good, I will lend you the Book of Destiny for five minutes; you can change whatever you want".

The angel handed him the book. Leafing through the pages, the man read the lives of his neighbors. He was discontented: “Those people don’t deserve such good things", he thought. Pen in hand, he began to make each of their lives worse.

Finally he reached the page of his own destiny. He saw his tragic ending, but just as he was about to change it, the book vanished. Five minutes had passed.

And right there and then the angel took the man’s soul.