THE LAST STORY

It all begins from our early days in elementary school,  "For today's assignment on the first day of school, write a one page essay on what you did during summer vacation."  I can hear your groans all the way over here!

 

We spend more time than we care to remember writing our stories.  There are those who diligently keep a journal or diary creating a saga.  There are others who really would prefer to forget large chunks of their life.  The fact remains at some point you will need to make a recount of your life.

Our real story telling begins when we start applying for college.  Tell us your academic story and include your service to the community and we also are interested in your extracurricular activities.  Pages upon pages of details of your education story, all in hopes of impressing the admissions committee enough to allow you to cross those hallowed doors.

Our lives are filled with stories.  Each and every doctor wants a complete medical history.  Do they even look at those things after we spend hours trying to come up with each and every test and procedure of a lifetime.  I feel like someone is comparing what I say to what I said the last time I filled out one of these histories.  Who can remember all that stuff after 70+ years?  It could be bad news if during surgery they discovered I ALREADY had my gall bladder removed, but forgot to include it in my history.

Then there is the job application or resume which is totally different type of story about your life.  Do they want to know I wrapped presents at the local mercantile during Christmas when I was 15?  How extensive does my description of what my daily duties need to be?  Should I really divulge my past salaries?  SERIOUSLY, you want to see my college transcript?  Could I put an explanation for my grades my first year?  Do positions of leadership include leader of the pack?  Should I be completely honest or embellish the truth?  Would it be wrong to honestly tell them the reason I want the job is to make money?

Then there is the final story--the obituary.  I must confess I am a student of obituaries.  I read the local obits everyday--first to make sure I know Who died? (and make sure it was not me) and second to see the style and content of the obit.  There are some who have obviously written their own obits---except for the date of death.  Obviously staying in control to the bitter end is utmost in their priorities.  Then there are those which read like a application for Who's Who.  A laundry list of clubs, organizations, offices held, accomplishments, and on and on.  A carefully orchestrated synopsis of a life time of doing.  There are sweet ones when it is so obvious how well loved the dearly departed was by kin and friend.  My favorites are the ones which make me laugh out loud.  How great to go out making others laugh.  I am hoping when my number is up, my children and friends are laughing over Lulu stories.

WELL NOW~where in the world am I going??  Until the fat lady sings, until the last tear has fallen, until the last breath is taken----the story is not over.  There is more--another day.  There is always hope and opportunity to add to the story.  God knows--He has our days counted--there is no time to waste, there is still time to add to the story.  How will your story end?  Acceptance of the inevitable by sitting and waiting for it to happen or living full steam ahead.  Robert Frost has a poem with this stanza which sums up so well what I am trying to say:

The wood are lovely, dark and deep

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost