Alistair was sitting at a rickety table, jammed into a sliver of space in the corner of the lounge room. There were other places that he could have commandeered to write what he was calling “My Last Hurrah”. This was just the working title, and his wife Judy had given him one of her thin-lipped smiles when he mentioned it to her.
‘Just as long as you actually write it, dear, I really don’t mind what you call it.’
She had suggested that he use one of the spare rooms to write in, and had offered to help him set it up as a study, but he felt the need to remain connected to the household. His working life had been spent surrounded by noise and bustle, and whilst things were quieter on the home front these days, he liked the dynamics here. He could hear the murmur and sounds of dinner preparation in the kitchen, and glimpse out of the picture window at the garden. It was the right spot he felt, to create his life’s work.
There was no need for him to be surrounded by photos, awards and certificates. It was all so clear in his mind that all he had to do was close his eyes and the images clustered in formation. He was going to start with four categories, then break them down further as he worked through each section:
- An overview of his life.
- What life really meant to him (people, places, lessons he’d learned).
- His vision for the future.
- Conclusions.
What had been holding him back was the need to have something that linked these categories, yet was meaningful to him. A snatch of a tune came from the kitchen – Judy loved listening to music, just as he did, and always had the iPod playing as she sliced and diced. The kids had put together playlists featuring songs they both loved, and he could hear the bittersweet voice of Billie Holiday. It was a sign.
Alistair clicked a key on the laptop where the document was waiting for him. With a smile on his face, he tapped out the following:
- Why Was I Born?
- Me, Myself and I
- Too Marvelous for Words
- Now or Never
It was just the start he needed.
I’m participating in this blogging challenge for the month of January, which supports starting the year on the “write” track. You can find other posts with #bloganuary and join in the challenge.
Photo: front cover of the Billie Holiday album, Lady Sings The Blues
jml297 