A young man was walking one day in Jerusalem when he looked up and, to his abject horror, was staring into the pale, frightening eyes of Azrael, the angel of death.
Screaming and running for his life... because he knew that no one encounters the angel who is not marked for death... he begged to be received by the mighty and wise King Solomon to implore his advice.
The king agreed to hear his remarkable tale and, after pondering the man's problem, counseled him to flee from Jerusalem, as the angel was said to be required to go to an appointed place and there find the soul who was to die.
By departing Jerusalem, the man might be able to avoid death altogether, having been blessed with the good fortune of seeing Azrael just before the expected time.
The man rode desperately out of the gates of Jerusalem and went straight to Damascus.
Much relieved upon entering the city, he went suddenly white with fear, for there in his path was Azrael.
Now unable to escape, the man cried to the angel that he had avoided death in Jerusalem.
"You see," Azrael said cheerfully, "I was supposed to meet you here in Damascus, so I was quite surprised to find you in Jerusalem."
With that, the angel reached out and snatched the soul from the astonished mortal.

we are all we have in this world