It’s been a paperwork and pondering kind of day thus far. Awakened early by the noise of a springtime rain shower, a quiet room, a book, and the past have been my companions this morning.
Those, and my faithful feline, but I digress.
In this window of time, an envelope fell from a pile of books in my possession. Originally mailed October 26, 1967 by the coworker of a man named Joe, it bears several marks of mystery and significance.
The first is this time log. What does it mean?
The second is the note to his wife penciled on the envelope’s back. Perhaps 6:20 AM that Tuesday was like my rainstorm moment this morning: a time to rise and see what he could get into.
I’m glad he chose to leave the note. You see, sometime between that postmark of 10/13/67 and the evening of 11/26/67, Joe died.
He knew it was coming, as do we all. Only, his time window had more obvious finite parameters.
Cancer has a way of doing that.
And yet, could a sweeter scribbling of one’s hope for a day be preserved any better?
“I’m going to work on that broken window.”
“Please bring the dog some food when you get up”.
Living in the moment, whether it be at 15 or at 55, is how I like to visualize my grandfather Joe, as I never truly knew him.
There’s a song by a group called “5 for Fighting” that sings of us only having a hundred years to live.
Indeed. So, I’m off to live this day’s contribution toward that, or whatever subset of it my 51 year old self is blessed to share on planet “this life”.
Maybe I can leave behind an insightful little note for the future along the way, but it can’t be any better than Joe’s. Never a wish better…
——————
I’m fifteen for a moment
Caught in between ten and twenty
And I’m just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
I’m twenty two for a moment
She feels better than ever
And we’re on fire
Making our way back from Mars
Fifteen there’s still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose
Fifteen, there’s never a wish better than this
When you only got hundred years to live
I’m thirty three for a moment
Still the man, but you see I’m of age
A kid on the way
A family on my mind
I’m forty five for a moment
The sea is high
And I’m heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life
Fifteen there’s still time for you
Time to buy, time to lose yourself
Within a morning star
Fifteen I’m all right with you
Fifteen, there’s never a wish better than this
When you only got hundred years to live
Half time goes by
Suddenly you’re wise
Another blink of an eye
Sixty seven is gone
The sun is getting high
We’re moving on
I’m ninety nine for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I’m just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are
Fifteen there’s still time for you
Twenty two I feel her too
Thirty three you’re on your way
Every day’s a new day
Fifteen there’s still time for you
Time to buy and time to choose
Hey fifteen, there’s never a wish better than this
When you only got hundred years to live (Five for fighting)
Leave a Reply