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I began reading the new Natalie Goldberg book ‘Old Friend from Far Away’ a few days ago.
It’s a book custom-tailored for writers of memoir.
So far the book is quite good (like all of her books).
Page 14 has a prompt that I’ve decided to turn into a post.
The chapter is quite short:
“Die”
Tell me what you will miss when you die.
When I die there will be many things that I will miss.
This list went on for quite a few pages but I’ve chosen an abbreviated version for your perusal.
If I included food you’d be here for a few days.
I mostly chose things from the category ‘matters of the heart’.
Feel free to steal this as a ‘meme’.
For you writers visiting, it’s a wonderful exercise. Do it.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a writer, it’s worth your time.
You can look at some of the things that really make your life worthwhile.
Here I go.
I will miss:
-Whispers in the dark
-Pamela’s eyes, voice, face and beautiful soul
-hearing the phrase, “I love you, Daddy,” whispered in my ear
-my three beautiful girls
-the sound of little footsteps coming down the stairs on Christmas morning
-my sister, my twin, the other part of my very soul
-Caitlin’s smile
-Ryan’s loveable way (and awesome jumpshot)
-Billy’s laugh
-All the people I truly love (if I’ve talked to you in the past year, consider yourself on this list)
-a warm and gentle rain
-the silent beauty of falling snow (yeah, I wrote that)
-the sound of surf at the Cape
-the smell of freshly cut grass in late spring
-stars (especially the constellation Orion, someday possibly the Southern Cross)
-my cats purring
-Cuban cigars
-Guinness (or any fairly decent dark beer like Porter or Stout)
-Makers’ Mark
-writing with a nice fountain pen on some fine quality paper
-the feeling of creating
-entering ‘the Zone’ (artists of all kinds know about this one)
-music (playing and listening)
-my piano
-weekend phone calls to a country far, far away with two incredibly special people
-memories of the Camp
-Bermuda
-the aroma of an apple pie baked by my grandmother from summer’s long ago
-Blue Cheese
-Bill Hicks, Denis Leary, Sam Kinnison, George Carlin, Lewis Black and Dave Chapelle
-sunsets
-reading
-most importantly, my blog
And yes, I will dearly miss sex and exceptional breasts.
I’m not a freak.
Truthfully, what will you miss?
My list would be close to endless and most likely, quite predictable, however, like you, I will condense it…
My children/grandchildren
Mark and “that” smile when I tell him how much I utterly adore him
Friends, who as it transpires, are indeed what I call TRUE friends..they expect nothing and appreciate everything no matter how small…
Similar phone calls to those you speak of
The sound of the ocean crashing against rocks
The smell of fresh cut grass
The sound of children giggling as they play, and the innocence they keep for such a few short years
Damned good music & food
Cloudless, star filled night skies
Summer and spring
Rain on a tin roof
the ground after rain has fallen for the first time in too long
Vanilla ice cream with fresh raspberries…
And the list goes on and on and on…but I’ll stop here, because I’m sure you get the drift?
These posts, my friend, are the ones that people keep coming back for..they reach inside and drag our inner thoughts out…
Oh, yeah, this got me to thinking…and I really don’t have time to think, for long, anyway. To tell you the truth, I don’t really think we’ll miss anything. But to just list the things in life that I enjoy(ed) the most:
music has to be at the top of the list (different kinds from time to time.)
There are terribly few times I’ve had with my grandchildren that I’ll never forget.
Beautiful skies are awesome.
Dripping watermelon quenching a hot-outside thirst.
Heading home from the lake on a summer night, smelling the fresh-cut HAY in the fields and the honeysuckle in the cool creek bottoms (hoping that sunburn won’t be as bad you’re afraid it’s gonna be.)
Well, gotta go watch Castle and knit.
I know what you’re asking, but my first thought was, when I die, I won’t miss anything. Not anymore. The longing, the heartbreak, the missing of things will be over.
Bacon.
Ever since I lost my father I think about death. I think about all the things I will miss. I think about how my family would be. I often worry that I won’t be the first “to go” . I do not think I could live with out my sisters. Or my nephews. I suppose I am lucky I don’t have kids yet, otherwise I would be a psychopath. I’m already choked up writing about my family… can you imagine if I had kids?? I probably wouldn’t be able to finish this entry. Life is Life. As is death. I suppose we should take this exercise and extend an “i love you” that way… a thought of gratitude to all which bless our lives
Even to bacon….
Thanks for the reality check ~m
I had to think about this post for a while.
I know for certain that I would miss a lot of the same things as you.
But as I thought about it some more,there are many things that I wouldn’t miss.
I would not miss the extremely creepy people and all the rotten stuff that goes on in this world.
On a lighter note, I wouldn’t miss Hollywood and all the tabloids etc…
I know that death is inevitable for all of us – but the uncertainty of what it is like it is sort of scary.
I know that I would miss you and that freaks me out.
Well written ~m.
Here’s a few from me:
I would miss~
Children’s ringing laughter
New songs humming in my ear
The sweet smell of fresh lilacs
Tender kisses from loved ones
And divine dark chocolate.