Thursday, August 6, 2015

August 6: Writing Prompt #218-Everything Changes Walking down the street, you encounter a folded piece

Walking down the street, you encounter a folded piece of paper on the sidewalk. You pick it up and read it and immediately, your life has changed. Describe this experience.
Out of curiosity, I open the folded piece of paper I found on the sidewalk on the way into work.  When I read the words scripted on it, it says, “Susannah, you have one week to live. Make the most of it.” My stomach drops out; my heart begins to race, and I feel nauseous.  I head inside and sit down with my head between my legs to keep from passing out.  Once I am able to catch my breath, I start to make a list of all the things I “need” to do in my last week of life.  After a frantic 5 minutes composing an impossible bucket list that could never be accomplished in one short week, I scratch it out and try again. This time I write down what I really “need,” not just want.  This list includes such things as quitting and not working my last week of life, but instead spending the last week with family.  Ultimately, and if possible, I would love to get both my family and my husband’s families together along with close friends and take off for my last few days to Montana and Glacier National Park or possibly a cruise in the Galapagos (that would only happen if money was not an option).  To be in nature and near wildlife and experiencing it all with family and friends would be one of the closest things to heaven for me. Spend the days hiking and interacting with nature, visiting with and loving on the most important people in my life would be such a fantastic way to spend my last days. I certainly wouldn’t want to be in a hospital or even just at home in bed. I want to be with those I love in this beautiful world created just for us.  Once I come to terms with having only a week left to live, it is very easy to set up the rest of the details…easy to quit my job, easy to set up the trip of a lifetime, etc….because I am not worried about money, about losing time at work, and so forth. I am only concerned with doing what I love in those last days and being with those I love.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again….isn’t that what life is all about?  Love is all that matters in the end…


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