Dying to Live or Learning to Die

(Sorry, I couldn’t make up my mind)

I might be around for quite a few years,

So don’t shed any tears,

Oh, for goodness sake,

Give me an Irish wake,

Or bake a large cake,

I’ve been dying since the moment I was born,

A finite length somewhere in eternity,

Not that anyone said that to me,

But I knew life was limited like a blade of grass,

When my time was up I expected to pass,

I didn’t want to close my mind,

Facing death is but a challenge to find,

The other side, without the fear,

Of leaving here,

I was taken from my mother’s womb,

Uncomfortable there with little room,

To grow, and do you know,

I’m being crowded again,

With my limitations and eager to emerge,

Into a new world, I’m on the verge

 I’m ready to face, or even embrace,

Death when it comes for me,

Like going to sleep and awakening in another place,

But for now I want to live every minute of every day,

Not worrying about the ifs and whens,

Ready to confront death with a grin,

Not fearful at all, knowing it will happen,

 Sooner or later, maybe not today,

And it might not be my way

I might want to take a snooze or die on a cruise,

Take medicines to keep me sane,

Or just sit back and let my life wane,

You can help me by showing love and support,

Take out the trash,  give me a glass of port,

I don’t need to see you cry, or to know why,

You think you’re going to miss me,

My passing will set you free,

 I don’t want to take care of you,

I’ve got enough to do,

Keeping death from snuffing my wick,

Hey! Remember I’m the one who is sick!

I have faith that there is life after death,

I have my hope, and that helps me cope,

I’d like to see you there too,

Not just another molecule,

Returning back to dust,

But if you must, you must,

How much time do I have really?

I enjoy life, but how time flew,

I was ready to give life up long ago for you,

But I didn’t have to,

I’ve lived a full life, faced a little strife,

And discovered much about me,

But don’t you see, that’s vanity,

I want to have a normal day, the best,

Go home and get some rest,

Get my life in order, no unfinished business,

No unsettled mess,

I don’t intend to leave you all alone,

I’ll be watching, helping you atone,

All the times you thought I wasn’t a great friend,

I want you to know I was the best I’ve been,

And whatever you say or do, remember I loved you,

Play some music on my last days,

Or read me a book about how to mend my ways,

Tell lies about telling the truth,

Laugh and share things with Ruth,

Wait a minute! I don’t know any Ruth, that’s the truth,

Tell me funny stories or remind me of stories I still need to write,

But I’m afraid that would keep me up throughout the night,

I can see me now, waiting with my laptop in bed,

Wanting you to remember the last words I said,

It’s hard to type with these clumsy fingers of mine,

“They’re coming for me, it’s about time,

I’m waiting in line,

Oops! I’m out of time.  Don’t forget to write!

Call me sometime!

Okay! I’m going already.

Uh, could I tell one more story or write a poem?”

Written in response to my own thoughts about death and dying, knowing that I don’t know what tomorrow might bring, should tomorrow even come. I’ve tasted hell a few times here on earth, and decided I don’t want the full menu. I tell people that every day above ground is a good day and I say, “Thank God, I’m alive!”  I’m reminded daily of all the good things here and better things yet to come.  When you get to the pearly gates, I want to be there to greet you with a smile and say, “I’m glad you made it. There’s a place reserved for you.  Take off your shoes and stay awhile.  Don’t worry about the weather.  It won’t get too hot or too cold and Hell storms never make it up the hill.”

My Son, Listen to My Words of Wisdom

My son, there are a few things you ought to know,

First off, don’t eat the yellow snow,

When a girl tells you she likes you as a friend,

She means, adios, goodbye, the end,

The tongue has the power of life and death,

Say something nice, or save your breath,

When you think you know something, speak out,

Listen and look wise, when in doubt,

Son, life has no easy answers on how to be smart,

Being always observant is quite an art,

If you look at the friends who surround you,

Your own character comes into view,

When people are angry, listen to what they say,

For what they believe is true will come your way,

Now for the things that can make you better,

Hold these truths close right to the letter,

If you hold anger inside and don’t turn it loose,

It won’t be long before you stew in your own juice,

In colloquial terms, you have to dig,

If you stir a stink, it only gets big,

If you’re knee high in clover you’re doing well,

You’ve hit pay dirt as time will tell,

If you’ve got it made in the shade,

You have no worries, your fortune is made,

The best things in life are not gold or shiny rings,

Love, respect, and honor, are what happiness brings,

Be a person of action, be a person of thought,

Keep out of trouble and do what you ought,

You are wise when you know others and what they say or do,

You are wiser yet, when you really understand you,

My son, I’ll tell you a secret, don’t ever get old,

It’s only for the tough, the simple, and those who are bold,

Now for the real things you asked me about,

The differences between sexes that you have doubts,

If you think you understand women you’re in danger,

The simple truth? Men are strange, women are stranger,

Know that women think differently than a man,

You’ll always be wrong if you don’t understand,

If you ever think you’re perfect, it’s time for a wife,

She’ll love you and correct you the rest of your life,

Men want women to stay the same always,

Women want men to be different every day,

Women can’t keep secrets, you should know that,

If you have a secret to keep, keep it under your hat,

Love builds bridges across unchartered lands,

Everyone is richer, no matter which side you stand,

Love can be magical when your heart it does claim,

Love also can be an illusion that you’ll never tame,

Love takes normal things and dims the light,

You won’t see faults and everything looks right,

A beautiful woman? If you wish to be wise too,

A beautiful woman is the one who loves you,

The best thing in life I hope you soon learn,

Is to love completely and be loved in return.