August 9, 2016

  • Watching Dreams End

    In despair she weeps
    The atlas is unopened
    Her escape unplanned

    This little haiku satisfies the prompt #51 - atlas from the Laziest Summer Scavenger Hunt. Today is the last day of my vacation and the last day of my visit with my mother. We visited my hometown over the weekend. There were many smiling faces that greeted my mother but there were some that were missing. As is inevitable when your friends are over 80, some had passed away or were in nursing homes and thus not at church. The most unsettling was the sudden death of a woman in her early 40s. She had collapsed at work. Her heart had stopped and although the paramedics got it beating again, she died in the hospital on Friday. She was attending classes at the seminary, working full time, caring for 2 adopted children (13 and 10), and doing volunteer work. She had preached just the Sunday before at church and was full of energy and enthusiasm. The congregation learned of her death at the service. There was an audible gasp. She had so many plans - she was going places. Unfortunately her plans were not to be realized. It was tragic but I have to wonder which is worse - To have plans, to be on the journey and moving to realize your dream when you die or to never have made the first move to happiness and fulfillment?

Comments (12)

  • When I visit the cemetery, I am always made aware of how many people died so young. Sad.

    • Indeed. Death comes unexpectedly to everyone - young and old alike. I pray that they lived well. That is what I want people to think when they hear I've died.

  • What a sad story! It was a little unsettling as I passed 57, the age of my dad's death -- I guess my next goal is 96!

    • My mother leaned over in church this weekend and whispered that the hymn we were singing was one she wanted at her funeral. That made me sad. I'm hoping she has at least another decade...

  • Death is always sad for those of us who remain and mourn a loss.
    I say I aim to live to 103 and if I fall a few years short, I still will have lived a long and full life. I just hope my last years are not alone, or in pain and poor health.

  • @murisopsis: I hope so too, but I also hope they're good years!

    • Exactly. I don't believe in suicide or euthanasia for people but I can understand the desire to escape pain... I hope to go in my sleep.

  • I have vastly more thoughts on this topic than could be contained in a comment section.
    I suppose I've learned two pieces of related wisdom that I can write:
    1) The pursuit of dreams is often more fulfilling than the capture of them. (So dream big.)
    2) Every day of health is a gift, so treat it that way.

    • I have to agree with your words of wisdom. As a society we are so focused on the end that we often miss the journey and are ultimately dissatisfied by the destination. Which is why the dream of owning a canoe becomes a Bass boat, which turns into a cabin cruiser and then a yacht... and still the satisfaction is illusive. It mirrors geocaching where the hunt is ultimately more fun that whatever trinket is available in the cache!!!

  • @murisopsis: Geocaching is an excellent example. :-)

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