About Final Journeys or We're All in the Same Boat

I've been mulling over what I chose for the subject line when I extended an invitation to you to participate in my blog.  I used, "a bump in the road--an invitation to follow my final journey".  Now, I'm pretty sure you haven't gotten stuck on that little turn of phrase, maybe you didn't even read it, and if you did, you aren't losing any sleep over it.  It's just a subject line, for goodness sake!

OK, but I taught writing for a while and could possibly have attended one too many writers' workshops where the Famous Author at the podium answered the usual question, "To what do you attribute your success?" with the usual answer, "Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite!"  I took the advice way to heart and I find myself thinking about my writing in a very "Brokeback Mountain" way.  Think: "Word (sentence, phrase, paragraph, whatever), I can't quit you!"

So there I was, looking at the subject line, thinking, "That's not quite what I meant."  Because, I realized, we are all on a final journey.  All of us.  Every single one of us.  That's what life is: a final journey, unless you plan to freeze your head a la Ted Williams in an attempt at immortality.

There may be other interpretations.  If you are a faith-based individual, of whatever denomination, you might argue that there is everlasting life after death.  But, another spiritually-minded person might counter with the notion that even everlastingness has a finite feel to it.  A paradox?

Never mind, I'm going with the idea that birth is the beginning of the journey and that life (and death) is the final journey.  Could be wrong.  Maybe next month I'll have another idea.  

Years ago, someone once asked me what my philosophy of life was.  I said it was trying to figure out what my philosophy of life was.  Yegads, how convoluted can a person be?

So, there I was doing my mulling when an image flashed in my head.  Backstory...My beloved daughters, Rebekah and Megan (and their husbands, Paul and Troy, respectively) granted me and John the privilege of attending to the births of each grandchild.  First Kyle (2004), then Cora (2007), followed by Ruby (2008) and anchored by Eliza (2009).  I couldn't have been given a better gift in my whole lifetime than to see those precious babes come into the world.  I could have done without all the icky blood and placenta, but I digress.

My imagined scenario went like this:  As each baby slid through what I'll call the tube (I taught seventh grade Health so I know the correct terminology) and after everyone screamed,  "It's a boy!" or more often, "It's a girl!" we noticed a tag tied to the little piggy that goes wee-wee-wee  all the way home that read, You are invited to accompany me on my final journey.  In my mind's eye, we didn't turn the tag over, but maybe the flip side said, I made it this far; are you with me?

And then I replied, in my mind's eye (whatever the heck a mind's eye is), Yes, I'm with you, but please don't poop on me.

So, I guess what I'm trying to convey is that we truly are journeying together.  And it started whenever it was that we let each other into our lives, for which I am grateful beyond words.  Thank you.

But, since those little grandchildren aren't here messing with my head right now, I'll just come out and say it, Let's promise not to shit on each other ever again.  I'm with you, dude or dudette.

Kyle

Cora

Ruby

Eliza

Today was a good day--I even got some sewing done!  

Next entry will be about a remarkable young woman who shared a little of her life with me and, in particular, about the time she showed me what she had been doing all morning in a summer school class.  I wish I had photographed it!