An old man sat with a child on the banks of the Lake Efil. Moonlight bathed the still waters in a silvery glow, and the man gestured for the child to look closer. There, visible in the glowing surface of the lake they could see figures moving...

The child's brow creased as he watched with careful attention. He could see a family gathered at the feet of a loved one. Tubes flowed out of the person's arms like the thick roots of an old tree. The family watched in silence as the breaths of their Mum, their sister, their hero, became lighter and lighter. An explosion of bleeping sounds shook the silent room and marked somebody's end.

Looking across the Efil Lake the old man pointed his finger at another reflection and motioned for the child to look...

A young couple were laying on a small, single bed. Through bashful glances and hurried breaths they explored one another. A touch. A kiss. A feel for the first time. The boy was sixteen and pushed his tongue into the girl's mouth as they embraced. It was new. All so new. His heart raced. It was fear. It was love. It was lust. It was everything he imagined it would be. The girl reached down and with trembling hands began to unbutton his flies. It was their first time...

"The human capacity to feel is magnificent," the old man said. "The depth between ecstasy and despair is beyond anything you've experienced so far. You have to be ready for that."

"I understand," the child said quietly after a pause.

The old man motioned towards another reflection in the lake. A man was lying on his back on a worn leather sofa. His rough skin was painted with the same beaten texture as the leather. A moist trail led from his bloodshot eyes to his red, overgrown beard like a snail had passed. He gazed blankly towards the ceiling. He had nothing to live for. His wife left him. His kids barely knew who he was. In one swift movement he lunged a needle deep into his arm... This was his one escape from the pain.

"The world is full of suffering and anxiety. The moment you're born you start to die. The moment life starts it begins to end. But there's something about that contradiction that makes it all the more beautiful. If it wasn't for the changing of the seasons, would we really value the cool crispness of autumn and the new hope during spring. If it wasn't for the depths of despair, would we truly know the sweet taste of happiness.

Once you do this, you can never go back. You understand?"

The child nodded. "I understand. And I'm ready"

The old man smiled. "Okay. You will be born at midnight. Good luck out there, kid!"