How Was Your Life?

He was a most remarkable man. A man of years clearly mapped out upon his face. Clean, well kept but not pretentious in his style or dress. I shook his hand and felt a mix of gentle wear and hardened, callus, leather-like skin. I would guess he labored most of his life, perhaps forced to stop long enough now to heal somewhat.

His egg white eyes with movie star blue pupils slips you into a momentary trance, transfixed as they seem to cut into your heart. He wouldn’t notice you staring at him for he is considered legally blind. But he will sense the hesitation in your voice if you do not respond immediately to his first question. “So, how was your life?”

That question alone would halt you in your tracks. It bears repeating.

“You asked, How was my life?”

“Yes,” he said in return.

“I would be better prepared to answer how was my day,” I suggested.

“That’s too easy,” he said. “I think we need to keep up on our life as a whole.”

I thought for a moment and simply asked, “Why?”

“We tend to nit pic. We can so easily take one day and dissect it. It is easy to say you are having a bad day. Or simply write it off as “One of those days!” But when we broaden the view, we take much more into consideration. Life in general will at least be “good”, Okay” or “It could be better,” he explained.

“So, you cut right to it and ask for an over all rating,” I said.

“If I can get someone to see the big picture and realize there is more good in their life than one bad day, I might even change their outlook on this very day,’ he said.

“So, how was your life?” I asked of him.

“Wonderful so far, thanks for asking.”

Then he said one more thing that really stayed with me.

“I’m on the shady side of sunset.”

How powerful! It seems to me that we often see life as beginnings and endings. Sun rises depict a new dawn, an exciting adventure ahead. Sunsets make us think of endings. Like “riding off into the sunset.”

This man knew his life, his time, was coming to a close.

“I do hope the sun sets slower for you. You have so many more people to ask the big question.”

Before I left I promised him I’d help. Let me begin by asking you.

“So, how was your life?”