A Comfortable Life
Today is the day of my death. I know this because today my family is coming to unplug the life support system that keeps these old bones from turning to dust. I lay here in a hospital bed. I never expected it, but I feel pretty comfortable. I thought when I neared death my body would be in pain. There is nothing, no pain and no worries.
Looking back over my life, I know I lived a good one. I was born to a middle class family. I got decent grades and went to an above average college. My first job, after college, was at an office in Maine. Assistant Manager was my official title at a medium sized paper company called, Brown and White Paper Company . It was at this job that I met my wife, Elizabeth. She was my first and only love. It must have been fate that the first woman I fell in love with was the one I would spend my life with. Someone was looking out for me.
After 10 years together, we moved south to Virginia. I worked at a different branch of B&W. By this time, I had climbed up a few rungs of the company ladder. Me and Elizabeth were blessed with our first child around the time I was chosen to run the Virginia branch. I was a young buck compared to the men who ran the entire organization. I aspired to one day join them in that highly esteemed conference room.I just had to bide my time and not do anything too drastic to mess up all the good I had going for me.
My time came another 10 years later. I received a call about midday from the CEO of Brown & White. He told me that the board of directors wanted me to fly to the headquarters in Seattle to talk about an opportunity. I was delightfully surprised. I confirmed the scheduling and thanked him. The next call I made was to my wife. Then I went straight to the airport from work.
Once in Seattle, the men there told me that I would be relocated to Seattle to run the entire eastern operation. I was overjoyed. My wife and, by this time, two children relished in my enthusiasm for the new city when I arrived back in Virginia. We packed up and drove cross-country. I spent 30 years doing that job. I retired at the age of 70 with a nice pension.
Looking back over those years, I know I had a good life. Rarely was I ever uncomfortable. Oh God! Rarely was I ever uncomfortable. I did not live life, life lived me.
thanks for the read. it’s an inspirational story for people who still have the power to live life if they haven’t started already. for those who don’t have the power… well.
That was so tough. The way it started off captured me from beginning to end. A man who was going to die, realized that he didn’t live life but the rules of society forced him to accept the, ” american dream,’ as his own dream. Brilliant. Who ever wrote this. I would love to collaborate or just talk on writing, being that i am an author myself.