How does "And of Clay Are We Created" relate to life?

As the title of this excellent short story suggests, the
central relation we can draw between this story and real life is the awareness that we
are, indeed, made of "clay" and therefore fragile, just as Rolf shows himself to be
through his relationship with Azucena. Notice how invulnerable Rolf appears to be at the
beginning of the story:

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Nothing could stop him, and I was always amazed
at his equanimity in the face of danger and suffering; it seemed as if nothing could
shake his fortitude or deter his curiosity. Fear seemed never to touch
him...

The relationship that
Rolf forges with Azucena forces him to be aware of his own inner vulnerability, and
strangely enough, by accepting this, he actually experiences a real sense of release. In
the same way, psychologists would argue that we gain a similar sense of release and
freedom when we are able to be open about our own intense vulnerability and fragile
nature.