Journal of a Living Lady #137
Nancy White Kelly
This hasn’t been a good week. My circle of friends is drawing tighter as others cross to the great beyond. It seems that everyday I get the news that somebody new has been diagnosed with very serious illness or yet another death has occurred. Maybe part of it is that I live in a community where residents are above the average age of most citizens in America. Maybe, too, medical technology has advanced so that what used to kill our older folks is recognized earlier. Been a while since somebody has called me with really good news. Occasionally I get an excited call about an engagement or a new baby. With one exception, nobody I even vaguely know has won the lottery. I haven’t won it because I don’t play it. The couple of times I threw a dollar down on the counter on a whim, I had to turn around to see if “foolish” was written on my hind side. Should have been. The odds were better that I would be eaten in my sleep by a purple people eater. It pains me to see practically barefoot mothers with toddlers in tow buying wads of tickets at the local convenience store. Why isn’t she buying diapers and milk?
If I had sudden wealth, I know a few people I would like to share it with: my sister, the most unselfish person in the world who has had more than her share of set-backs; a drifting young man with a two-year-old baby who needs a fresh start; some retired missionary friends who spent their lives serving others with no thought or opportunity to build a reserve.
The list could go on and on. Buddy would like a Porsche, a vintage bi-wing airplane, and a baby-blue Model A. God knows I don’t need a lot of money for myself. Every winter I am just thankful to have a bed and a warm blanket. There is food in the cupboard, more than enough to carry us through a while. How many times have I thrown out rice or meal that has hogged the shelves too long. Good intentions gone astray. Pack-rat me. The disastrous day never comes, but I am always preparing for it. We came the closest to D-Day on September 11th.
Guess you can tell I am in a pensive mood today. No jokes on the tip of my tongue. Just reality. But I have still have hope in the midst of earthly sadness. This little analogy always brightens my day. Hope it does yours.
When a ship sets sail, many stand on the shore and watch as it gets smaller and smaller. Just as it is about to disappear from the horizon someone says
with sadness, "There she goes." At the same time, however, that same ship appears first as a dot and then with more definition as it sails toward its destination and someone excitedly yells, "Here she comes!" And with that announcement, a crowd excitedly gathers for the greeting.
Life and death is all perspective.
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nancyk@alltel.net www.angelfire.com/ga3/livinglady
