“Well Done, My Good and Faithful Servant” [ Post #85]

Several years ago, my pastor mentioned in a class he was teaching, the phrase from the Bible (from one of Jesus’ parables) that when he died, he would hope he would hear the words (from God), “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” That, he said, would complete his life on this earth in a happy manner. I’ve thought about him saying that recently and, yes, it gets me thinking a lot about life and the point of it all and the conclusion of it all. (By the way, he has since passed on, and I sincerely hope he had the experience he was looking forward to, hearing whose words when he made his transition from this life to whatever is next.)

Thinking about life and all its mystery and uncertainty, I find myself thinking along similar lines as my minister mentioned. At the conclusion of all of this experience called our life, what would we like as we breathe our last breath? Yes, I would like to hear those words. Words telling me that I lived a good life (overall), I did my job, my duty, my purpose and did it well. Yes, that would be nice. Something I can hope for, at least. Validation is nice, isn’t it? We often don’t get much of that in life it seems, for most of us, anyway.

I’ve lived a long life, thank goodness. Thank God, if you will. Sure, I’ve messed up, had some bad times, made some bad choices, perhaps. Haven’t we all? But, overall, it’s been great. I had dreams in my youth. I worked hard at realizing them and I was very fortunate to achieve all my aspirations. If that were not the case, at this point in my life I would be a disappointed and discouraged person, like so many people I have known. But I am very pleased with my life having done what I set out to do, regardless of others trying to interfere in my journey and limit me, discourage me and put me down in obvious and subtle ways. I overcame whatever popped up in my life trying to throw me off course. I stayed the course as they say. I overcame bad experiences, bad people I got involved with in my ignorance and inexperience of life. Getting a little spiritual in this regard, I would say I was guided and protected by the greater forces of life (which I’ll call God). Something guided and protected me.

So, what about you? Happy with your life and how it has turned out? Or less than happy? There’s no right or wrong answer to this question. It’s just an evaluation of the many decades of life you have lived. How do you think you will feel on that last day? Well, besides being resistant to letting go and feeling awful about your departure, how would you evaluate your life?

I’m happy that I feel complete with my life. I’m satisfied with how it has all played out. No regrets, no real disappointments. No anger issues, no unresolved conflicts with people. A good place to be as I see it.

So, maybe after contemplating all of this, I would say the same thing my late minister said. When I pass on (to whatever), if I were to hear a voice in that great void, I would also like it to be :

Wally