“If you knew how a story would end would you still care to read the rest of the tale?”

I found a most fascinating book to read. It was the memoir of a travel writer. The writer’s life seemed to resonate with my own. The pages found me laughing, crying, nodding my head, and passionately agreeing with her. Midway through the book, I did the unexpected, I flicked through the last page to see how it ended. And, it was not the ending I had wanted for this fascinating woman I oh so connected with. Her story ends with her finding love in the arms of a 52-year old divorced man with two grown children. Wow, exactly the opposite of what I had chosen to the do in my own love story.

From loving every page of the book, I found myself not wanting to go on reading the rest of the story. My friend asked me, “Why did you do that?” I guess I desperately wanted to know where this would go. Since I don’t exactly know where my own love story is headed. Then the question hit me, “If you knew how a story would end would you still care to read the rest of the tale?”

I then realized my question does not just pertain to the love story of this writer, but pretty much to every thing in life- even life itself. We know for sure that there is no escaping death. We will all die. (Whether we believe in life after death is a whole other story). But it doesn’t mean we stop living. Despite knowing we will die in the end, we still live each day allowing our stories to unfold. We wake up, brush our teeth, fall in love, sprain an ankle, win some awards, excel in class, get lost….

I was on a trip when I was reading the book. I knew the inevitable would happen. The excitement of the journey will fade. The rigors of the trip will take its toil. Eventually at the end of the journey, my companions and I will be sick and tired of insect bites, weary joints, living out of a suitcase, unfamiliar living conditions, and ready to head home. Naturally, this happened. But it didn’t stop me from allowing the trip to unfold- getting a few laughs, a golden tan, shedding some tears, making some friends, and learning a whole lot of life lessons along the way.

I guess that’s what makes life beautiful- the journey, not knowing how every day will unfold, even if at times we have an inkling of its inevitable ending. After a brief separation from my favorite book, we were reunited in a few hours. And, despite knowing its ending. I enjoyed reading every page, savoring its twists and turns.

6:15pm.june1.2007