Likes the Most-Likes the Least
The daughter of the deceased came forward to share her eulogy. It is often a moment when mourner’s tears flow– someone’s life story generally in 1,000 words or less. At this particular service she ended her eulogy with the ten things her father liked the least in life followed by the ten he liked the most. It was something I had never experienced at a funeral and I began to wonder what are the ten things I like least and the most about life? I also began to wonder why she started with the ten things he liked the least and if that perhaps isn’t something we have a tendency to do- to focus on the things we don’t like rather than the things we love.
Over the years I have witnessed the mass exodus of the folks I grew up with - friends, family, neighbors- who have migrated to other parts of the country-most often south to Florida and the Carolinas. If weather were the only factor, it might be easy to understand. Certainly, it is also based on challenging economics and living somewhere that has changed so much. But during this funeral I began to wonder if we too often consider the things we ‘like the least’ first rather than the things we ‘like the most’ about our hometown when deciding to make this move - and how many people get to a new promised land only to be disenchanted, miss home and realize that economically there is little chance of turning back. Though of course there are others who find adventure and great joy in a change of address.
It is easy to see how this once sleepy town filled with people you waved to- neighbors who watched over you- plenty of parking and the simple beauty of home-has changed into a small bustling metropolis. Our schedules have changed-grocery shopping at the break of dawn, beach parking nearer to when the sun rises or sets, dinners out often just in the winter months. Our once horse and buggy roads have become hard to maneuver with increased traffic. When summer begins to bustle, many residents find comfort in their own backyards leaving only when necessary for the post office, the grocery store, the bank or the pharmacy. We plan ahead where to park and have drawn a trip-tik in our minds before leaving the house. And yet, within all of this change I still include so much of the beauty our place in space has to offer in my 10 things I like the most about life. Our beaches, the light, the skies, the sunsets-our little village with soulful history and charm and somehow, I can’t imagine moving- not for good anyway. If at all possible, my only suggestion is to also consider the ‘likes most’ list before signing on the dotted line.
So many of life’s memories include the people and the places we grew up beside- the bays, the woods, the freedom and the faith that our feet and our souls wordlessly knew home. And yet I understand that there is courage in the move and also courage in staying rooted.
How would you write your life story? What does your ten likes least and likes most list include?
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Likes Least
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