Someone “just-so-happened” to find an obituary that I wrote. Now I’m not exactly sure who discovered it. But if my assumptions are correct, this person was supposedly on “facebook” when really, they were peeping through my files. A few of my friends have seen it and some say I’m crazy. However, I just feel as if I’m tad bit more prepared than others.
Many of you already know my father’s parents own a funeral home. I’ve been assisting them for several years. In doing so, I’ve become somewhat acquainted with the “planning” process. For family members, dealing with the fact that a loved one has passed on is hard enough. Planning the funeral only adds “fire to the flame”. I’ve seen some very unpleasant situations occur within the time someone dies to the day of the funeral. I’ve seen people curse, argue, and even fight all resulting from minor disagreements during the planning of a funeral. Seeing this made me think.
One day in class I was asked to do a life planning exercise. In this exercise, we were to, in the most creative way possible, specifically list our life goals. This included everything from family goals to academic goals to goals in politics and any other area in our lives. Since I was already thinking and I knew no one else would do it, I very creatively designed my own obituary.
This started off as an “Easy A” project. However, after turning it in & receiving the A that I had planned for, I didn’t delete it. All work that I turn it usually doesn’t get deleted until after I receive a grade. If it’s a big project/paper, it may not get deleted until the end of the semester. For some odd reason, I never deleted it, not even at the end of that semester.
A few months later, I was robbed at gunpoint by two ruthless young men in Albany, GA. I was not at all afraid. But I did think that I was about to die. As I thought about me dying, I realized that I had an obituary. I thought to myself, “At least they’ll know what to do.”
After that horrendous incident, I took a look at the obituary I had created. I then realized that they actually wouldn’t have known anything. The obituary I had created was full of the things I hope to achieve during the course of my lifetime. It was an imitation. I did not have a real obituary. Had I been killed, my family would’ve had to endure the trials of the planning process just like any other family.
This was my cue to change. I gradually changed it from a very specific “goals achieved” checklist to a very specific, downright REAL obituary, complete with a program & even instructions on about what I should have on & what casket I should be in. So when my time comes, all they’ll have to do is call the funeral director & he will take care of the rest!
Some folks might say I’m crazy. I just like to think I’m helping my family out. Thinking that my “’business’ was fixed” actually comforted me in what I thought was my dying hour. I know that creating an obituary for yourself isn’t what is meant when the bible says “get your house in order” but it’s good to know that you’ve made your wished known. When your time comes will your family know what to do? Or will they have to fuss & fight their way through trying to plan according to the things they THINK you would like?
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