A Well Filled Life

I opened up the daily yesterday and turned to the obituary page. A friend of mine looked back at me from there. He'd died at ninety years and one of age. I cried out with surprise and wondering. How can this world survive if he is gone? Capsuled was his life in a few columns. "How can this be?" I ask, as I read on. He'd lived his whole life in this small valley, except when he was stationed in Japan, during oft forgot war of Korea, in battles never mentioned by the man. We met when we worked at the county fair. He was the manager and I a clerk. He always treated me as his equal and complimented me on my fine work. Until retirement he was a banker and in that role met everyone in town. Without good reason none were sent away and there were very few that he turned down. For seventy-five years a Grange member and served that time in all capacities. An usher in his church for forty years, he lived his life the loving Lord to please. He even owned a small menagerie and welcomed throngs of children to his place. I know that God will have big jobs for him as he arrives with smile upon his face. Iambic Pentameter