Final Wishes - Crusades # 24

In Michelle Ward's Street Team GPP Crusades this month, the topic is "final wishes" and comes about as a result of events that have surrounded Michelle within the last six months. Final wishes is an interesting topic and one many people do not want to think about and particularly, dwell on.... however, at some point we all will walk across that rainbow bridge and leave this existence behind. Yes, I have a number of pets waiting at the rainbow bridge for me..... Whatever you call it, it is inevitable.

Five years ago tomorrow (October 22) I was coming home from the hospital following open heart surgery for an aortic valve replacement. You certainly do think about the inevitable when facing this type of surgery. Right before surgery I did not have a will. When my brother arrived we had a will drawn up for me along with other medical instructions. I did get a chuckle when the cardiologist said, "Please, don't sign a 'do not resuscitate' order -- because we will have to restart your heart following the valve replacement." HUH - what is this "restart" nonsense - you're suppose to fix it not stop it.....HUH - who am i and why am i in this funny gown that opens in the back....

Anyway, back to reality, my mother more or less did a lot of planning for both her and father's funerals. She had everything picked out and paid for at the funeral home. We, the family did not have to do any casket shopping, etc., thank God! Plots were already bought - all in all it was much easier for us to deal with the grief of losing a parent than worry about the mundane. My brother knows a little of my final wishes. I have to admit after the initial scare of heart surgery and then full recovery, I didn't take that final step and add a few more items to the will -- which I certainly will do shortly. One thing is for sure however, listen carefully bro -- Cricket goes in the casket with me. I don't care if you open the little box and just drop the baggie in BUT he goes in with me. If you don't do it, baby brother, you will not have a moment of peace for the rest of your life. Yes, I will be right beside you for like forever, i.e., eternity. Bet that got his attention! Speaking of my brother, Jim, he wrote an incredible song (we had played at Mother's funeral) - I want it played at mine - God Knew Your Name. Go listen! It will move you.


While traveling through Estonia I was awe-struck by the photo below of silver crosses all indicating the nuns final resting place. It was a serene place of hope, calmness, and serenity. May all our final resting places be so....... beautiful. Death is not the end, it is a beginning of just another phase of growing up! May I strive to make mine a little easier for my family and friends by making sure I have all my final wishes in place for that eventual day.

To end this post I want to share with you a poem I wrote in my early 20s. (I have like a book of these ramblings written in the angst of youth.) If I remember right, my Dad and I, for some reason, had been talking about death and funerals. I asked him when the time came what he wanted and he told me all he wanted was one red rose. Nothing more, nothing less. It sparked in me this poem:

"When I depart, sing no sad songs for me.
And when I disappear, don't look back.
I will leave as silently as I came.
Only remember the interlude when you knew me best.
Think of the laughter, jokes, and sighs,
the occasional tears I shed.
Do not regret the days gone by,
.....and when I leave do only one last thing.
Plant a rose - one single rose -
So I can still bring joy to those who follow after."