03.09.08

Death and Glasses, originally uploaded by macfixer.

I'm always telling my son that the "things" you have to do in life can be divided into two categories: stuff you want to do, and stuff you have to do.

I tell him, "You might want to play video games, but you have to do you homework. It's better to get the stuff you have to do out of the way first, so you have more time for the stuff you want to do."

Where am I going with this? Well, after my Grandma died, my dad and his brother decided to have a memorial service instead of the usual funeral (she wasn't a religious person). He asked if I would want to say anything at the service. My dad said there were times when he had been asked to say something at a similar service for others and said nothing, then regretting not having done it.

So all week, I've been working on my assignment. My Grandma lived a long and fruitful life, and I want my speech to reflect that. Funny, though -- I find myself avoiding doing it mainly because that would cause me to think about her. Do I miss her? You bet. I hope what I say up at the podium honors her memory for our families' sake.