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Blog 489 – 12.08.2016
My Obituary For Future Reference I Hope

I do hope I get to complete Blog 10,000 before my number is up but barring that I can only hope the last one I write is better written and more widely read than the one before it. Many who do not understand the somewhat solitary traveling life I have chosen wonder what would happen if I were to suddenly pass. How would they in particular be notified. I joked with my brothers on a recent visit over the Thanksgiving weekend that I did ask for a quick and relatively painless passing. I am in no hurry for that to happen but when it does as it surely will I do hope it is fast. One of my more sensitive brothers pointed out that it is often easier on the surviving family and friends to have a chance to say their good-byes and find some closure. I smiled and said, “I am not trying to make it easier for anyone else just me. I don’t care to suffer a long, painful and dramatic exit scene.” Give me a head on with a Mack Truck or as The Gambler’s famous line says, “The best you can hope for is to die in your sleep.”

To your first question as curious people want to know about how will you know when I have passed. Well, if you follow this daily blog: http://www.theencouragingword.co you will notice the postings will suddenly stop. That, my friends and dear readers, is all the notice many if not all of you will receive that this bird has flown. And if you mourn my passing for more than a moment I promise to haunt you with every tired pun and play on words that I have ever written till you snap out of it. If you can’t celebrate my graduation, shame on you. I hope to have lived a life that all can celebrate and that none will wish to morn. By all means have a party for me and if I’m not there start without me and remember my that life philosophy is that of Doctor Tooth, the Muppet Bandleader, “There’s a party all the time for them that choose.”

It would not be a real obit if I did not mention a few historical facts. I was born to James Clifford White and Alene Florence Davidson White, their first son together, on  November 22, 1950 and died a hundred or so years later, if all goes according to plan. I will be survived by, well others will have to determine that because I plan to live long so there may not be many if any still around that I started out this journey with. If there are they are welcome to divide up anyway they choose what ever earthly treasures I leave behind. Think of looking through my things as a treasure hunt. Look for the treasure map and clues to where I hid my treasure chest. My real legacy, to those I love and leave behind, I hope will be a life well lived and some encouraging words spoken and written along the way.

How much or many of my written, spoken, and sung words that will survive me I trust to Someone far better to decide that sort of thing. I happen to believe that nothing real is ever lost but that all our true creations are saved for us as we are for the One who created us. You need not bother about a funeral, grave, stone or any such thing unless those things have some importance to you. They do not to me for I shall be on to a bigger and even better adventure. I fully expect to see each and all of you again somewhere up the road. Whew, I am glad that obituary stuff is out of the way. Now let’s get back to living the dream.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White