Letter to the Living

The old man stood up slowly from his chair. His head felt weak and
the life was gone from his old legs. With his sticks as a guide, he put
out the light and took one last look outside to the world in general.
He slowly moved into his bedroom and sat down heavily at his desk, with
a small lamp as the only light.

He knew that the time had come and that tonight was where it all would
end. After his eighty two years he felt it was the right time. He was
in tune with his frail body in every sense. It was telling him that his
fight was up. He had to let go.

The illness that had been slowly consuming him over the past few months
had taken its toll. No one knew about it. The old man had kept it a
secret because he knew it was too much to bother people at his age with
a petition to stay alive. He didn't have many people left to care about
him now; just a son, three grandchildren, and a carer.

He settled with his piece of paper and started to write his final
statement. A life, long in the making, and now excusing its end. He
wanted to tell people about his life. About the things no one
remembered or knew about, which were buried deep in his memory. His
heart started palpitating again. He didn't have long.

TO MY DEAREST ALL.

I WRITE TO YOU NOW IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT TONIGHT I SHALL PASS AWAY AND
LEAVE THIS EARTH IN PEACE. IT MAY OR MAY NOT SURPRISE YOU TO KNOW THAT
I HAVE BEEN ILL FOR SOME TIME, BUT I CHOSE NOT TO MAKE A FUSS OR CRY
ABOUT IT. THESE THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON. I KNOW YOU'LL
UNDERSTAND.

KNOW, MY FRIENDS, THAT I HAVE LEAD A LONG AND TERRIBLY HAPPY LIFE WITH
YOU ALL AND WITH SO MANY OTHER FACES OVER THE YEARS. TOO MANY TO
MENTION HERE, BUT ALWAYS IN MY MEMORY.

AND OF THE PLACES THAT I'VE SEEN AND SOUNDS THAT I'VE HEARD. I KNOW I
WOULD BORE YOU HORRIBLY BY RECOUNTING THEM AT GATHERINGS. SO I CHOSE
ONLY TO INDULGE WHEN YOU INQUIRED OF ME. THOSE TIMES I ENJOYED THE
MOST, BUT I WAS CAREFUL NOT TO TELL TOO MUCH. SOME THINGS ARE ONLY FOR
ME TO REMEMBER. SOME PLACES HAVE STAYED IN MY HEART TO THIS DAY. I
IMPLORE YOU TO GO AND FIND PLACES OF YOUR OWN. WHEN YOU ARE OLD AND
HAVE LIVED A LIFE FULL OF STORIES, MAYBE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT
GIVING THEM AWAY TO OTHERS IS NOT THE REASON FOR HAVING THEM.

SINCE BEING A YOUNG MAN, WHEN I WAS STATIONED IN FRANCE DURING THE
GREAT WAR, I HAVE HAD A GREAT RESPECT FOR LIFE. I HOPE YOU HAVE SEEN
THIS IN ME DURING MY TIMES WITH YOU. NOTHING COULD PREPARE ME MORE FOR
RESPECTING THE FRAILTY OF LIFE THAN BEING GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE WHEN
THE ODDS WERE STACKED SO HEAVILY AGAINST ME.

AND I TELL YOU NOW THAT THE CAMARADERIE AND FRIENDSHIPS GAINED DURING
THAT PERIOD OF HISTORY WERE GREATER THAN I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE.
BUT I PRAY YOU WILL NEVER HAVE THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE WAR
YOURSELVES.

I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR LIVING SUCH A LONG LIFE. EVEN TO THIS DAY I
HAVE ENJOYED EVERY MOMENT THAT I CAN. BUT WE CAN NOT TAKE THINGS FOR
GRANTED. OUR HEALTH CAN EASILY FAIL. AND SO I ASK YOU NOT TO BE ANGRY
OR UPSET THAT I KEPT IT A SECRET FROM YOU. I FEEL MY LIFE SLIPPING AWAY
FROM THESE BONES NOW. I KNOW I WILL SOON SEE THOSE I LOST MANY YEARS
AGO, AND I WILL ONCE AGAIN BE WITH MY DARLING WIFE.

I WILL FINISH BY SAYING THANK YOU. THESE THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON. I
KNOW YOU'LL UNDERSTAND.

YOURS EVERMORE

ARTHUR

With that, the old man put down his pen, barely able to move, and laid
on his bed. He closed his eyes.