The thing with dying, well, with death really, is that there's a difference between being someone who knows they can really die at any time and someone who doesn't . I know, and Wim doesn't. That's all there is to it. I wouldn't wish on anyone that awful instant when I realized that the headlights coming towards us were real. But without that understanding people think there are dangerous things that can kill you, and everything else is safe. That's just not the way it works.

(Jo Walton "Among others")