The Chapters of Our Lives

We enter this world and the story begins
The early chapters a distant and hazy memory
As awareness grows we begin to capture memories
Most of which being those that define us as an individual
We learn from our loved ones and peers as our persona takes shape
As we progress and more chapters are added "who we are" is firmly defined
That person that we have become now interacts with others’ lives
We love, we form prejudices, we project our likes and dislikes
All of this is captured by time and forms a storyline by which we will be remembered
Hopefully, these chapters will tell a story of compassion and caring
Unfortunately, this is not always the case as some take another path
If this be so, then the middle chapters will be filled with turmoil
As always time moves on and the chapters of our lives continue
Advancing age brings thoughtfulness resulting in either pride or regret
That which we are, that person that we became many chapters ago
now stares endlessly at a world moving too fast to comprehend
To live the final chapters of our lives we must do so with the realization
that past chapters now cast in stone cannot be rewritten
Our book of life is of our own making and each chapter defines choices that
we and we alone made based on factors that we faced.
Yes, sometimes our choices were seemingly not of our own making but in the end we must take ownership of the story line for chapters to follow.
As the final chapter of our life unfolds we either look inward and commend
ourselves for doing the best that we could - with no regrets and/or,
we look outward seeking the hopefully healing hand of our maker, or that
“power" out there that we perceive might conclude our final chapter with a
journey ending in restful peace throughout eternity.

Copyright © Charles Gragg | Year Posted 2016

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