When the town’s beloved, elderly, and feisty Lucy Powell died suddenly at age 95, all wondered how to peer into her belongings. Miss Powell had no relatives yet alive and no family to inherit a lifetime of her history. Her family was her community and friends.
Slowly, close friends began to assimilate bits of China, old books, quilts, and other items into their own homes. That was when the diary was discovered. Who should take it? Who should even open it?
A diary can paint a picture of unrequited love with hearts broken, hearts renewed, and love lost then found. Finding a worn diary, fringed from fingers turning pages over decades, awed all who gathered around.
Finally, Old Ms Alda Franklin stepped forward. I will take it. She and I shared so many memories… All agreed.
When Alda settled down into her rocker with a cup of tea, she opened the cover and began reading each page. She chuckled, cried, gasped, and sighed until she read the last page:
My life had meaning and gave me reason to exist. Touching others, being kind and generous, loving those who are unloved: that is the essence of life.
To all who turn these pages: Go! Make your life count!
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This is a re-post 2015, underlined bold words are from Wednesday Words, a site that offers word or photo prompts. Delores, we miss you.
Must have been quite a diary!
ReplyDeleteShe lived 9 decades, and she must have quite a life.
DeleteSome posts are special because they 'touch' where they are needed. I loved this one. There is no mystery here, a lot has to do with age, things you can relate to.
ReplyDeleteThanks, U B sweet and a very insightful writer.
Sherry & jack LIVING in Florida
Thanks, Jack. My grandmothers both lived to be in 80s and 90s. If they had written diaries, I hope this captures the what they could have written.
DeleteThat is indeed the essence of life!
ReplyDeleteThis is what humans should do to and for one another, love them as you love yourself.
DeleteAll the money and power in the world can not give one the satisfaction of a life well lived as Lucy had.
ReplyDeleteLiving a long, love filled life, Lucy had the warmth of her life.
DeleteWe do miss Delores. However (partially spurred by your reblogging her Words for Wednesday inspired posts) I contacted her recently. She says she is doing well, but not ready to come back to the blogosphere yet.
ReplyDeleteOh, good! Delores writes so beautifully.
DeleteThough I know this was from 5 years ago, I am sorry to hear about Lucy.
ReplyDeleteOld diaries must be incredible. I wish that I had kept a diary from when I was young.
One I kept when I was dating Larry. Wrote ridiculous stuff. Now I keep journals, have them lying all over the house.
DeleteHer last sentiment was surely her best.
ReplyDeleteIt was surely her best.
DeleteOh wow. Hopefully she hadn't written anything cruel about the person who took the diary. Can you imagine? You get the diary of a good friend who has passed, only to read it and discover how much that person didn't like you. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh. What could happen next?
DeleteMemories ... written for posterity.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
People might want to tell stories of their past, I hope many do.
DeleteMust have been an interesting read. The stories and memories, priceless!
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine!
Delete"And Ms Alda passed the book on to everyone they knew, so that all were blessed with the ending..."
ReplyDeleteThat is an alternate ending that I didn't consider at the time I wrote this.
DeleteIt's wonderful to know that a beloved member of the community truly WAS missed and loved. I fear many of us will not meet that same wonderful fate.
ReplyDeleteI hope that will not always be the case.
DeleteThat's a sweet story, I hope Alda Franklin shared with the rest of the community.
ReplyDeleteShe will. The community is so tight knit.
DeleteI keep a diary but it is not for others to read. It is a space to write my innermost thoughts, some of which are not charitable! I must leave instructions for them to be destroyed when I go.
ReplyDeleteThat is probably a good plan.
Deletea heart warming post dear Susan !how much i loved this and how deep;y it touched my heart it can tell you only my tears falling on keyboard
ReplyDeletei loved the way you said it ,it was not just beautiful but inspirational too !
i agree that diary is window that open to our past and reveals our younger part that seems to smile back to us with serenity that we grew for better finally :)
hats off to you my wonderful sweet friend!
The diary is a window, so true.
DeleteI loved those post and am sorry if this means they will never come back. This story was so meaningful and special.
ReplyDeleteI think or hope we all know someone like Lucy throughout our lives. For someone I admire to like this post, I am so grateful.
DeleteMaybe they published her diary and shared her philosophy with many. That would have been a special way to honor her.
ReplyDeleteThat was the best way to share her life and philosophy.
Delete