I have mentioned this before, but it will not hurt to re-iterate. A good obit takes some time. Sister Shirl long ago pressed me to write my obituary. At first I figured she knew something I didn’t, but after having to assist in obituary writing, I think I understood what she meant. When you die, and you will, if the obit is written and a list of your stuff is avail to your next of kin, it is a big load off them.
I informed Sis that she was going to be amazed at how Good I was.
*******************************
Obit….Darnell, Jack…HE LIVED (AND died)
*******************************
That is a joke, I really have written my obit and it is filed with the important papers. Probably no one will think to look, it will be such a shock when I die running a marathon at 115 years of age. So surprised that they will forget to check for my obit. The only one left alive on my side of the family will be Shirl in a nursing home, When she is told, all she will say is “Oh Crap, and he owed me $359. Oh well, Sherry is good for it.” Smoky, sitting beside her will comfort her by saying, “If he owes it, that means he didn’t beat you out of it.”
(At the Happy Hooters Nursing Home and Jam club)
I have told many folks, even wrote a short 100 page book concerning it, we need to prepare ourselves and family for the inevitable.
Some of us joke about death but Steve Jobs said this at Stanford:
"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true."
- Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Address, 2005
It is funny how we look at life. Strange how the things we worried about, and thought were so life changing, in hindsight, many are almost silly.
So live the Serenity prayer as much as you can, and love life. As BRBoomer is prone to say, “Life is good”. (on the upper side of the grass).
Thanks for coming this way….
Nite Shipslog
PS: (reminder Tax time coming)
The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin.
-- Mark Twain
*************************
Ahhh Just a good sight!:
+018.jpg)
+040aa_edited-1.jpg)
11 comments:
I am glad you have your obit. written. Remember
if there is a change you just make the change.
People who are left the answer questions want
know them. I glad Jim wrote his becuase I would
never known about his Service record and what
he was a member of at NCState. I am glad we wrote Mothers, Dad, mine, Jim and his Mother and Dad. Like you said it sounds funny but it sure is a help when time comes to go and fill out all the papers. I know from experence.
There will be dates that family will not know.
OH well they will have to read your book.
Shirl72
"Death is the destination we all share." And it is something most of us don't plan for. I've got my tombstone in place at the cemetary, just in case. I believe in planning ahead. Next on my list is to buy the casket. SERIOUSLY, going to do this in advance. Want to see where I'll be resting these old bones, in the end. I never thought to write an obituary. But Jack I think that's a GREAT idea. In grief my family might forget something important and this way it's already done. BRILLIANT! I'll get right on it. LOVE the serenity prayer. I find the last line "And the wisdom to know the difference..." the most comforting. Hope your day's been good. Take care.
At first I figured she knew something I didn't...hahahahaha. Well, that way, you get it right. ~Mary
Dagnabit~ I just lost my comment, again!
Anyway, I can't believe I'm a week behind in catching up to your entries...does that say something about my chances of a longer life?
As I was saying, like my Daddy used to say and now I hear Bill saying often, " The Good Lord is going to take me when He needs me. Nuff Said." True enough. There is nothing we can do about WHEN He decides to take us home, but we should still do what we can to keep the ol' ticker in shape. I need to listen to my own advise. I'm not good at that. Nuff Said. Now, I have some reading to do. Have a great night.
Hey, we are supposed to get flurries tonight~~~and we are willing to share. Yauntsum?
I got a kick out of Sherry not allowing you to kiss her in places like Walmart but I also can see you still trying. Love you guys from cold WI.
BlessYourHearts
Good entry! When Mel died our relatives were surprised we already had our burial plots and funerals paid for. It made it so much easier for me. The relatives started following suit.
Jack I have your book and read it from cover to cover and still can't write my obituary. We all know when we reach my age if we die from old age we don't have many more years. If I stay healthy and able I'd want to live longer if I get disable that could be another story. I've wanted to get a prepaid funeral plan with every thing picked out, but it's hard even for me to do. Take care, Jean.
Like I said before, statistics say one out one will die, so we might as well prepare for it as we can. I haven't thought of writing my own obit but I don't want a lot of fuss when I leave to go home, so want to keep it simple, not lots of she did this, she did that, etc. However, I do know the importance of writing one or at least getting facts down before someone dies with what they might want included because in people's grief they often can't focus and might leave something out.
I did read your book Jack and highly recommend it. Filled with lots of great advice, especially the part of taking care of things so the kids won't have to. Said it before, but my mom planned for and paid for her funeral/burial years before she died. Wise woman she was too with it.
betty
I love the serenity prayer too and say it often. When I'm no longer here I'm sure I won't care at all how my obit reads. The ones that know and love me can take care of that one I think. If they don't that's all right too. Yup, Life will be good on the other side. Wet and chilly here today. Hope your Wednesday is a wonderful one!
Haha. Just came in from watching FoxNews where they showed a clip of the protesters trying to occupy the financial kingdom. What makes it funny is the sign one protester carried which read, "TAXIDERMY the rich!" Hey - I'm one of the poor folks and I still don't want that tax man to have my skin.
You are absolutely nuts Jack and you are not the only one with a sense of humor. Shirl is gaining on you. Young or old , we all share one thing when it is time and it is death
I'm glad you have all your papers in order.
It's not an easy thing to do to think of the hereafter if there in fact is one.
Hugs, Rose
Post a Comment