Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

The aphorism satirizes a common human inconsistency: people profess to want endless life, yet struggle to use meaningfully even a few unstructured hours. “Immortality” stands for ultimate extension and significance; the “rainy Sunday afternoon” stands for ordinary time, when distractions are fewer and one confronts oneself. Ertz implies that the desire for immortality may be less a considered commitment than a reflexive fear of death or a wish for importance. The remark nudges readers toward existential honesty: before craving infinite time, learn how to inhabit finite time—cultivating purpose, curiosity, and the capacity to be alone with one’s thoughts.