Don’t Tell Me How It Ends!

     I’m a sucker for surprises.  I’d watch in horror as my friends would open to the last pages of a thick novel to find out what happened at the end; push the tips of my fingers into my ears to stop from hearing the end of a movie I was still waiting to watch while I screamed ‘don’t tell me how it ends!’

     I love opening up wrapped gifts (with multiple wrappings), soaking in the last sentences of a novel, or watching a movie and realizing the end was not what I’d expected.  The anticipation and journey has actually been more enjoyable than the gift, ending of the story or the movie.

     I’ve been on a journey for many years now, and so have you.  Not a journey to any earthly destination but a journey of our lives.  I’ve taken a detour once or twice, made friends and acquaintances along the way (hopefully no enemies), even taken others along on the journey with me (family).

     I wonder why people like to know what their future will be, they visit palm readers, fortune tellers, comb the newspaper for their daily zodiac readings, all in the hope of finding out what will happen next.  So what happens when you know? Will it change behavior? the future? Make you a better person? Will it make you work harder?  Sometimes I wish I could know how it all ends – my life that is.  But then again, I wonder, if knowing will make me change how I approach things.  If I’d have put in more effort if I knew I wouldn’t get the expected result.  Our life’s journey is the sweeter in the not knowing.  In the not knowing, we:

Formed friendships, some leaving bad tastes in our mouths, others, lasting for the rest of our lives
Began that start-up company, even with the sad state of the economy; the start-up is now a midsized company with employees
Married that heart-throb, amidst failing marriages, and you’re still standing
Took a step of faith following our passion and the journey has taught us that fear was what held us back.
Realized that we are indeed the authors of our destinies.

      This past week, I lost a close friend, a sister, a confidant.  She was beautiful inside and out.  She touched everyone around her, always had a kind word, a lovely smile. I met her in primary/elementary school, not knowing that ours would be a friendship that would last for over 20 years.  She lived not knowing and she lived it well.  Here’s to Y.O.

 This post is dedicated to all my friends, old and new.  My life is richer because of you.

(Photo credit trainingforwarriors.com)