Life is not a journey to the grave

with the intention of arriving safely

in a pretty, well preserved body...

but rather to skid in broadside,

thoroughly used up,

worn out and

loudly proclaiming:

Wow! What a ride!"

Attributed to Peter Sage.

What a neat thought.

Since we seem to be living in a culture advocating no wrinkles... no scars... no sweat...

this thought is a relief.

Early one morning many years ago, I was crunched up on a couch in a hospital waiting room doing just that... waiting... to see if my niece and brother-in-law would survive the attack from the intruder who broke into their home the night before.

I was interrupted by the hospital chaplain. He didn't want me sleeping there... I thought I had just closed my eyes but he said: "No, you look old when you're sleeping."

I was confused hearing such a comment at that time and inside my head I said to myself, then every wrinkle is worth it because I'm here to protect my loved ones.

Since a couple other members of our family were resting on the pews in his chapel, he told me to get them out of there because at 6 a.m. people would be coming to his chapel.

I was shocked at his attitude. Couldn't he try to give some comfort?

Later, when our family left, and no people appeared to be coming into his chapel, I left a note saying:

"Now your chapel is as you wanted... empty."