Those Later Years

I try to refrain from telling sad stories in my life. Life can be pretty tough on everyone at one time or another, so what do they need with my depressing events. So, I'm writing this to make a point about life, not to make anyone feel bad.

We all know that life is pretty much in stages. We have the time when we are taken care of and the food just 'magically' appears on the table, the clothes are generously supplied by various stores where Mommy or Daddy stops by to talk to the nice person at a big machine for a moment. Then there is the stage where parents start telling children that there is not enough money for things like name brand jeans and those ipoddy things. That is surely a depressing time for children these days. Then there is the joy of young adulthood where love throws a rope around us and our own 'cutest kids in the world' come along.

At some point, the simplicity goes away and people around us start getting old. It is still not so real until we start making trips to the hospital or the funeral home. "They are old and must go on to heaven." The circle starts closing in on us and the hospital visits and the funeral home visits start getting closer to home. Pretty soon half the people we know are sick or slipping toward the grave. Maybe the thought comes to mind, 'This living and dying thing is pretty serious."

In the last two years, my life has been filled with dark clouds of passing loved ones. It has not been obvious in my writing because I have been writing very little. To some that might not be important, but to writers it will be very clear. My faith has been, not tested, but used very much, as I deal with the loss of several close to me. My son, my mother, my brother have all went on to eternity. Another brother and my Dad went several years ago. Among these times, friends have left this life and gone on to discover eternity.

Life is very serious. Eternity is even more serious and should be considered in our plans.

Here is where I should write a closing paragraph of some profound conclusion of the whole thing. Sorry about that. I'm still working on it.