Life Story

I’ve always loved hearing the stories of other people’s lives.  In fact, when I was in elementary school, each time I went to the school library, I sought out the biographies and joke books.  The joke books are not relevant to this story, but I love that memory.  I had a pretty tight relationship with the librarian (I still resent the fact that she had the nerve to have a baby and miss my 6^th grade year).  She would always point me in the direction of a new joke book or a biography that she thought I’d enjoy.  Even now, as an adult, one of my favorite television shows is “Biography.” 

Recently my husband and I were visiting his parents in the small town where he was raised.  He lived there until college and for a short time after college.  His parents have been there their entire lives.  In fact, they’ve lived in the exact same house the entire 61 years of their marriage.  To say that my husband has roots there would be an understatement.  He loves the place of his birth and childhood in a way that I probably won’t ever completely understand.  I’ve lived in Chattanooga my entire life.  In fact, I’ve lived within a ten mile radius of a particular area of town my entire life.  My parents still live in the house where I spent the majority of my time with them.  I was about 5 years old when they moved there.  There’s something different though about a small town.  My husband was very closely acquainted with the mailman and the school bus driver.  Some of his family members lived literally within walking distance of his house.  The insurance man actually comes to the house to collect the insurance payment.

During this recent visit, my husband, father-in-law and I walked through a couple of local cemeteries that are just up the road from where my mother and father-in-law live.  It seems a bit morbid, but for the same reason that I love biographies, I enjoy a stroll through a cemetery.  It is fascinating to me to think about all the people that have lived their lives, however long or short, and have gone from this life.  I love to ponder over the details of their lives.  Were they happy?  Did they have a good marriage?  How many children did they have?  What type of job did they have?  Where did they live?  How did they die?  Was it sudden and tragic or was it a long time of suffering?  And, more importantly, did they know God?  Did they experience His love and grace?  Were they obedient to Him?

Both my husband and father-in-law knew many of the people buried in these cemeteries.  There are many family members there including my husband’s grandparents, his sister who was stillborn just a little over a year before he was born, and a few aunts, uncles, and cousins.  I got a pretty good education about the family and the town from my father-in-law.  It was so interesting to me to hear him speak about these people that were once a part of his life and my husband’s. 

These are the people that helped to shape my husband into the kind and compassionate man that I married.  That makes them even more interesting to me.  I love knowing more about them because he and I are developing roots together.  Everything about him and his life before we met is now part of my life and vice versa.  All the experiences that we both have had have made us the man and woman, husband and wife that we are today.  They are a chapter in the stories of our lives.

One day when we pass from this life, there may be someone that strolls by our burial place and wonders about the details of our lives.  Those that know us will hopefully know that we were happy and we did have a good marriage.  Mostly though I hope they can say that we really did love God and were obedient to Him. 

What is the story of your life?

       Now all has been heard;
       here is the conclusion of the matter:
       Fear God and keep his commandments,
       for this is the whole duty of man.

                                Ecclesiastes 12:13(NIV)