Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

As the shadows of one’s life lengthen, it is natural, I believe, to acknowledge that the one’s journey is very near to its end, I mean, that’s simply the reality of it, the natural order of things.

Perhaps some of you recall the quote that “Time is just an idea in the mind of God.” Powerful, but in an ineffable way.

People being people, we probably have, at the least, differing emotions when the reality of departing is contemplated.

For me, I think of my parents. This I do with a fuller measure of gratitude for all they did for me, and a wish that I had expressed this when they were still here. A futile wish, of course, but it’s there nonetheless.

As my grandmother (maternal) would say, “Wish in one hand and spit in the other, and see which gets full first.”

It isn’t difficult to worry about leaving to your loved ones the myriad seemingly insoluble challenges they must face, attempt to deal with.

For those who are readers, especially those who read as voraciously as I; and for those who watch news, as presented from the left, the right, the middle, whatever one’s predilections, biases, preferences, we can probably agree that we have ourselves a real sit-u-a-tion. I mean, a SIT-U-A-SHUN, folks.

Sometimes, friends, it seems the more you know, the less you understand. This is true for me. I remember once, when I was fairly young, my father said to me, “You think too much.”

Apropos of nothing specific, except maybe to lighten things up a bit from my effete attempt at philosophizing, let me share the following with you:

“Mister, you got a sense of humor?”

“Sure.”

“Then I’ll tell you most of a joke for a nickel.”

“Most of a joke?”

“Right. And then for twenty cents I’ll tell you the punch line.”

“What if I don’t want to know the punch line?”

“Hey – it’s up to you. Take a chance, give me a nickel – what have you got to lose?”

Now, that’s funny to me. What makes me think a former president would see no humor in it?” You know, it doesn’t demean, diminish, or ridicule anyone.

Acknowledging, admitting that very little if anything I write or say is truly original, please let me leave you with the following:

 

Say a kind word, perhaps even flattering, to someone you are not fond of, or don’t even know.

Call a family member and tell them you love them.

Offer a prayer for someone near the end of life. Ask that they may know peace.

Call, write, or tell someone at the Washington Daily News that you just love Bartow Houston’s column.

Gotcha! NOTE -Attribution to author Robert Fulghum (from “Uh – Oh”) must be given. (You may remember his “All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten.”)