Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Before I Die.

Some of you may have preciously read this post before but for some reason I had pulled it. I am not sure why but none the less, I found it in my drafts. The topic of this post is very dear to me in that it is something I have imagined on many occasion. Maybe one day my dream for this to happen will come true!

In my dream, I am a very old man. I look over the crowd ... I am about to speak. This is the day I have been waiting for all of my life and it has finally come. If I were to die tomorrow, I would die happily as I would have fulfilled a dream. All ages out there in the audience … all wondering what I am about to say ... all waiting in silence. I can't see them all in the slightly darkened room since my eyesight isn't as clear as it once was many years ago. I have to stay seated because my hips and knees are all but shot and my strength isn't as it once was. I find it hard to breath, stand and talk all at the same time for very long.

Nervously, I clear my throat and proceed to speak into the microphone. The crowd is startled by the squelch from the microphone. I begin again.

“I have been waiting many years to impart on you what is on in my heart and in my soul…”

The people in the room listen to what I have to say. They are more than casually interested in what I am about to impart … They are personally interested for they are my family … three, four, five generations worth … all of them about to hear what may be my last words ever to the group … at least that is what I have dreamed about for many a year.

If this dream was to come true, I would take the opportunity to tell each one of them about how proud I am of them. I would tell them that I love each and every one of them with every piece of my being. I would encourage each of them to live their life to the fullest. I would encourage them to always remain a family. I would explain to them the importance of being there for each other for support and encouragement. I would tell them to never miss an opportunity to tell the family around them that they love them and will always be there for them.

I would speak clearly. I would speak slowly. I would speak with such a love in my heart. I would speak with tears in my eyes.

I don’t have much of a legacy to give to my family; I have made many mistakes and have a few regrets, but I do have one thing I could give them and that is the love I have for them and the pride I have of them. This pride and Love I have is not for what they have or have not done but for who they are … My family!

So, maybe, now that I think about it, I will have a legacy to share after all! It is called Love. Maybe my dreams will be fulfilled in that, when I die, my family will remember me for what I have been to them throughout my life … a family member who loved them and was very proud of them.

6 comments:

Cheryl said...

To be remembered as being loving and proud? And to have lived to be an old man? A great legacy.

Jo said...

I can't think of a better legacy to leave your family than Love. I have a feeling they already know your speech, as well :-)

Cheers,
Josie

Lone Grey Squirrel said...

Very powerful and emotional. Almost had me in tears but I am trying to be macho about it. Live long and prosper, Dave.

Monika said...

That's a dream alright! Everybody wants/needs to be loved. Being old doesn't give you automaically the respect you deserve or listeners who care about what you have to say, even if you want to tell them you love them.

Janice Thomson said...

What a beautiful dream Dave! I too am sure your family members already know what a loving person you are. Glad you posted this for we all can learn a little from it.

Becky Wolfe said...

a message of LOVE is a very noble legacy to want to leave! And you don't have to wait till you're that old man to start leaving it around you to those you love.