The Rest of my Life..................................................

As I was thinking about the post I would write today, I didn't really have any concrete thoughts. (That's a new one........ I always have something to say!) I have been wanting to share something that I wrote for an internet writing class I took back in 2002. I came across the paper below, and it really surprised me (in a good way) that all the ideas are still valid today. Some of them I have mentioned, some will be new to you. The assignment was to draw a timeline of your life, and then expound upon it. Enjoy!


Patty _____
Writing 118
Graded Paper # 5—The Rest of My Life
October 27, 2002

The Rest of My Life

I have just drawn my lifeline, and I am now sixty percent along the pathway of my life. After thinking about what I have accomplished to this point, I will write my thoughts and plans to guide me through the rest of my life. These thoughts and plans follow:

When I think about the future, it is not in regards to making more money, or gaining more material things; I am content in that regard. I have worked very hard to become who and what I am today, and a part of me would be satisfied living the remainder of my days just coasting. Fortunately, it is only a small part, and by and large I have the desire to continue to strive towards growth, and change, so that I may make an even greater impact on the world and the people around me.

I follow my life’s mission each and every day. That mission is to give something positive to each person I encounter, and to live each day without regret. By staying focused on these two things, everything I wish to do and be is accomplished. I have absolutely no desire to be famous. Many of the good deeds I do are done anonymously, to avoid embarrassment for the recipient. "Whatever you do unto the least of thee, you do unto me," is just one belief I have used to steer my past, and will continue to use, to navigate my future.

Another thing I will continue to do with the rest of my life is to always do my personal best, no matter what the undertaking. In regards to my official employment, I do much of my work alone, but I ALWAYS do my job as if my supervisor was right there looking over my shoulder. In my dealings with friends and family, I do not waste time on manipulation and guilt. If I have something to say, I am honest, out of love and respect for the relationship. I will also continue to be openly affectionate. One never knows that the last hug is the last hug, until there are no future opportunities.

I am entering the time in life when I am beginning to "reap what I have sown" in previous stages. It gives me great joy to see my children venturing out into the world, being healthy productive members of our society. I see this as my reward for all of the effort I have put into parenting, and helping them to develop positive self-esteems.

Planning to live out our days in our current home, my husband and I have spent many nights and weekends remodeling our home so that it is handicap accessible. It is very rewarding to see the finished product, with all of the little extras. It is very comforting to know that if one of us ever needs a walker or wheel chair, we will not have to resort to putting a bed and commode in the living room because we can no longer access our bedroom and bathroom. It is also very reassuring to watch our mortgage get paid down, and our IRAs building up, knowing that the days of retirement are no longer that far away.

One of my on-going life projects has been planning my funeral. I began this several years ago when I was cleaning out a drawer stuffed with old cards and letters. Not being able to part with these items, so precious to me, I wanted a way to place their true value on them. The idea I came up with, was to save and organize these mementos of my life into a "funeral box," to be used in place of the traditional funeral service. When I die, my daughter is to invite the authors of the cards and letters to a celebration of my life. During this gathering all of the cards and letters will be read out loud as a way of highlighting not only my accomplishments, but also the fact that I was indeed loved. It will be my way of saying "thank you" and "you were important to me," one last time.

A major item on the "rest of my life to-do-list" is to provide care and service to people in the end stage of life. Dannion Brinkley is a man who was hit by lightning not once, but twice, and lived through both near-death experiences. Since his recovery, he has focused his life work around helping people, at the end of their lives, to participate in a life review. A life review is a means of looking over your past and coming to terms with it. Reading about this technique, I think it sounds like a phenomenal way for people to make peace with the past, and as a result have a more peaceful transition from life to death. It is a dream of mine to be able to study under Mr. Brinkley, and learn his technique, so I can use his methods to assist people. (NOTE: I have not taken the training yet..... They are on the west coast far from my home, BUT I did get the opportunity to to hear him speak in 2004. Fabulous! His web link is http://thetwilightbrigade.com/ end note.......)

My strong belief in a Creator, and in life after death, is a comfort, and it affords me the support I need to continue toward my life goals. My belief in Angels and other spiritual beings, living here among us on Earth, assists me in marching forward without fear, and with confidence. We are never alone!

As a way of making older people continue to feel productive, I have always joked that one was not old until he or she turned one hundred and six. Through some of my reading, I was encouraged to ask my Angels how long I would continue to live on Earth, and I was a little freaked out when the answer I "heard" was one hundred and six. Who wants to live that long? Is that really part of my Creator’s plan for my life? Will I be able to continue to have an influence on the world around me for an additional sixty-one years? Living to be a certain age is of no importance to me; making a difference in the world around me is. When I no longer feel I am making a contribution to the world around me, I will be content to be finished with this life, and ready to go on to the next one. Until such a time, my life’s mission will continue on, one day and one person at a time.