A young man contracts an intestinal disease as he travels to a tropical island and chooses to fast for his physical and spiritual health. As he develops an intimacy with the island, he becomes convinced that this fast will cure his illness — despite what other Western travelers believe.

After witnessing a wife wracked with grief stand over her husband's dead body, a priest is filled with anxiety at the thought of both his own and his loved ones' mortality.

When a rug merchant's best customer requests a new rug for her home, but complications arise, he must decide how far he's willing to go for a paycheck.

As a young girl's grandfather ages, her family decides to purchase a robot care-taker to watch over him. Technology advances as her grandfather controls the robot to care for his friend; however, as severe illness demonstrates, this system is not a perfect solution to elderly care.