“The tender word forgotten, The letter you did not write, The flower you might have sent, dear, Are your haunting ghosts tonight” ~ Margaret Elizabeth Sangster
This post is not about a plea for sympathy, stirring up pre-grief or needing any bolstering, so, please, don’t react to the read with anything but the humor I intend to provoke.
The fact of anyone’s matter is that life is short, and then you die, so getting shook up about being assured that IS the future seems a silly, silly thing to do. We’d all live better if we did it as though each was our last day … the reality being each could be … and we do ourselves a disservice when we force such thoughts from our minds.
Sure, it all gets a bit busy and complicated to spend much time contemplating checking out, but letting the idea of the party continuing on without us soak in isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it helps a lot in enjoying the one we’re dancing in right now.
My biology dictates my life will not be long. My genetic code has more dashes than dots, minuses that shave minutes and hours and days and weeks and years from my tree of life, and that’s a fact I learned long ago to accept. Being rather okay with the idea that I’ll someday be dead, I’m grateful for the time I have … however long that might be.
I’ve made some really crappy lifestyle choices, often don’t eat right or get a good cardio workout nearly often enough. I have vices, am not picky about organic or GM, and have been known to have sex without a condom.
The fact that happened with “committed” partners and didn’t always provide protection brings up the other shit that has and will take a toll on my span … the effect of stress brought on by letting shitty people have power.
From the incompetent, lying peeps who are supposed to provide Internet connectivity, to the lyin’, cheatin’ scoundrels who pledged much more than that, disappointing results create huge pressures. Those who believe karma is the tit-for-tat to be expected would suggest I’ve earned the grief, and if that is the case I’ve most certainly paid off much of what debt I incurred in previous lives. (I must have been a real peach to have earned such pits!)
Today being today, I’m rather liking the idea of that haunting thing (Thanks for that, Jules!), seeing my face, a la Jacob Marly, popping up on door knockers … or someone else’s knockers … with a “Hey, asshole! Boo, fuckin’ BOO!, invading dreams (Why should YOU get any sleep, Fuckwad?), ratting pots and pans, creating havoc, breaking guitar strings mid-song over and over and over again, cutting Skype connections, hiding cell phones, giving icy-cold pinches to warm body parts … ooooh, the list goes on and on.
I could be good at this, but in the meantime I’ll enjoy the sunshine, the sound of birds, conversations with great friends and all the joyful wonders I have, and wait for an Internet connection to happen that will allow me to post this blog.
Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse! Betelgeuse!
A collection of my short stories:
I'm in this one, too ...
And I'm in here, as well ...
Paradise Preoccupied 
I want to play too! Let’s be a haunting team!
Oh, Lisa! Would that be fun, or what!!! Just think of how scary we are as a team ALIVE!
I know! We already make men wet themselves. Just imagine!
They ain’t seen nothin’ yet! (Don’t you just love that “splat” when the shit hits the fan?)
We may be thinking somewhat alike today. I wrote about not avoiding one’s spouse/partner, because life is too short (although I didn’t actually say those words).
Humour or no humour, the truth is there: live each day as if it were your last. I don’t think it is a sad sentiment – I think it is a damn practical one!
Like you, I’ve made life choices that others may deem less than sensible. Smoked too much, exercised too little at times (like now), few too bacardi parties and yes, the odd condomless adventure.
But we are still here! We’ve earnt our stripes and I’m damn proud of mine, I’m sure you are of yours!
So I’m for enjoying our choices – and making a few more before I end up fertilizing a rose or two in the garden – although I may elect to feed the fish.
From one future organic contribution to another, Girl.
Cheers!
You and Lisa can haunt me anytime. The very idea of it leaves me in hysterics. One for each knocker …….of any kind. LOL!
Ooooh! Look, Lisa … we have a gig!
It’s a done deal!
Gracias, me amiga!
oh hilarity! my mother used to threaten to return and haunt people!
truthfully tho, it really is a challenge to balance living for and in the moment with investing for the future.
No threat here … just a promise!
Balance, schmalance …
haha, she also used to say that is not a threat, it is a promise, lolol!
😉
Sweet revenge…love it! 🙂
By the way, I finished reading Papaya. The stories and poems were fantastic! Each one kept me in suspense all the way through. Fascinating and interesting!
I’ll be sending orders for more, to give as gifts (I don’t want to part with my copy).
Thanks for sharing your gift with the world, Sandra.
Revenge: A dish best served up cold.
So happy to hear you like the book, Marianne. It’s been a while since that was done and life … and tales … have changed. I SO need to do another soon … in addition to the one you’ve inspired!
Thank you!
I look forward to both!:)
Boo! 😉
~laughs~ you can hunt anyday dear Sandy 😉 though it may be more fun if you turned into a succubus than a ghost ~laughs~
“live like it is the last day of your life” I have heard this many a times, and been a part of the whole carpe diem crowd, but few years back, it got me thinking, what does it mean to live like it was the last day of your life? I came to me that even though it sounds great….it seems so…….stressful….
as they say its like getting the most out of day and juicing the crap out of it until its left in a bloody, dried up pool behind us and we move on to the next. In away perpetuating the whole use til its dead and discard way if living of the western world.
So whats the alternative? what would be “better” ? if there is such a thing? what about living each day like its your first? you know with a child’s fascination and innocence ? Where a cardboard box is entertainment for hours and hours because in a child’s thoughts it is everything from a super speedy race car to a spaceship traveling the galaxy? how low can and gentleness lasts forever and anger /hate for a breath?
You instead of putting as much as you can in your day, put as much as you can in what you are doing right that moment. to not experience as much as possible but as deep as possible.
anyway, my two cents.
Bobby, it is my understanding that once achieves ghosts status, one may shift into succubus-mode at any time, when required … or desired. 😉
As for that “last day” thing … I see it a bit differently. It’s not a matter of living it to the hilt, but more living it well … meaning loving those you love, saying the important stuff, giving … and getting … those hugs and kisses and kindnesses that too often go ungiven, and ungotten, trying to do something that contributes for the positive to the world, accomplishing goals you’ll be proud of … stuff like that.
We are on the same page, Luv … just wording it differently.
Thanks for the pennies.