How I would like to be remembered.
 

I’m middle aged now and something that I reflect on from time to time are the things that other people “save” or set aside for “later”.  The paradox is, of course, later doesn’t always come.

One of my coworkers, a guy who’s about my age, has a rare, limited edition automobile. Without going into too much detail it’s an American muscle car from the early 1980’s. One of only about thirty or so that were made. An experimental car at the time.

This fellow paid something like forty grand for the car when he bought it new. It’s been under a Lexan, plastic bubble in his garage for over twenty years. What’s the point? Drive the gosh-darn thing! Have some fun for pity's sake! You don’t even know if the headlights work. He says that he’s going to have some fun with it later.

The parent of one of my daughter’s friends has a solid gold, thirty-five mm camera. Solid gold! Does it take a decent picture? No one knows because if you use this camera, take a picture with it, it becomes less valuable. You paid how much for that camera? For God’s Sake! Take a picture and see if the damn thing even works!

A couple that we know has an expensive, exquisite (so they say) bone china tea set purchased on their honeymoon in England. They had the tea set wrapped up and shipped to their home in Springfield Mass. That was June of 1982. This tea set has never been unpacked; has not seen the light of day since then. It might not even be all intact. It might not even be the same tea set that they picked out and paid for. They wouldn’t know.

Unpack the darned thing, will you? Have a tea party! I would.

When I leave this earth, this life, I don’t plan on leaving many material goods behind that will be worth much. I drive my classic Limited Edition SS Monte Carlo every day. It’s not one of thirty, it’s one of about three thousand. But I’m going to have as much fun with it as I can. I just don’t see the point of “saving it for later?” When exactly is “later”?

I use my antique box camera. I don’t misuse or abuse it, but I do occasionally take pictures with it. I have indeed taken some fine photographs.

We often eat off of the “good china”. And why not? It’s our good china. We’ve lost a piece and chipped a couple more, but we are having fun and enjoying it.

It would be nice, too, if my three children remember having fun with me. I don’t recall either of my parents being all that much fun. They both worked full time jobs. My dad sometimes worked two jobs. There were eight of us children.(Catholic. No TV Set.)

When my children were growing up I tried to take time with them to do fun things such as fly kites, roller skate, ride bikes together or go to the park and play. Over the years, as they were growing up, we went to playscapes, museums, planetariums and water parks. And we always got treats: ice cream cones, cookies, cotton candy, etc. They knew that when they went with dad they would get a treat or two during the course of the outing.

It would be good if my children remember me as someone that they had fun with.

When I “check out”, “go to the clearing at the end of the path”, "buy my farm,” or however you want to state it; I want my tombstone to say, 

“HE HAD FUN!"

Maybe, “HE HAD FUN AND HE ATE FROM THE GOOD CHINA!”

What more could one ask for?