I’ve always liked a good mystery,
and life is always serving up new ones to give inquiring minds a workout.
I was talking to my mom and she said
today had been a long day. I was thinking the same thing this morning when I
thought it was afternoon and it was only 11:30 a.m. Some days seem longer than others
do, although according to the clock, they are all the same. I would consider
that one of the mysteries of life.
Today, the blackbirds were back
again. They covered the yard and the fields. As far as I know this has happened
twice. Since the snow melted, and we are supposed to get another one today, I
thought maybe they were like all the people who storm Walmart when bad weather
is predicted. It’s a mystery why everyone is out of bread and milk right before
a storm.
I know my mother-in-law always said that
deaths happen in threes. It really does seem to be true. When two other people
in the family die, I start being more cautious.
When I go outside at night, I look
at the heavens and think how mysterious it is. The planet, stars, moon, and
UFO’s leave me breathless. Watching a meteor race across the sky leaves me
wishing for more knowledge and a better understanding of how the universe works.
Another mystery to me is why some
people seem to live charmed lives while others struggle every day. Why do
people get life-threatening diseases like Alzheimer’s, ALS, or cancer? Why do
some people have to live with autoimmune diseases, diabetes, kidney failure,
and a multitude of other ailments? It would be easier to understand if good
people didn’t get bad diseases.
Why do some people have talents that
others totally lack? It’s a mystery to me how some people can be so artistic
while another might be a math wizard but can’t draw a stick figure. I never
could understand how Jim could play and sing a song he’d heard only a few
times. Where does that innate ability originate? I can’t solve that one.
I think one of the biggest mysteries
is dying. Why do some people have slow, lingering deaths while others die
peacefully in their sleep? Why are some lives cut short while others go beyond
quality of life? You often hear people say life isn’t fair, well length of life
isn’t fair either.
When Jim was dying, I felt heartache
and anger. I knew his death from dementia was inevitable. He would have not
wanted to live once his personality changed and his memories faded. Jim had
always treasured his memories, and it was sad to see them disappear into the
broken links in his brain. Still, it was heartbreaking to let go. I’ve heard people
often describe death as a blessing, but when it came to Jim, that is one
thought that never crossed my mind.
Dementia stole a lot from us. One of
the things I missed the most after dementia was our conversations. We talked
about ghosts, UFO’s, love, fear, heartaches—anything about life and death. Jim
was never afraid of dying. He always said that death was closing one door and
opening another. Life after death was a mystery he wasn’t afraid to solve.
The mystery we should all strive to
attain is how to make the most out of the time we have on earth. My goal is to
live a drama-free life and not allow others to steal my joy. When I leave this
world, I want to leave more than I take.
Copyright © Dec 2018 by L.S. Fisher
#ENDALZ
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