Life, Death and Living

* This morning I read the obituaries and noted the deaths of two women, one 84 and the other 97. “Homemakers,” it read--a noble and beautiful occupation that we all tend to discount in favor of some other important career choice.

There was also a 72-year-old gentleman on the list. It occurred to me, as I approach my 70th birthday, how many hours, days, weeks and years these people had contributed to their loved ones, friends and communities. I thought how lucky their world was to have had them, their wisdom and devotion, for so many years.

Then I thought of my friend, whose son’s life was ended in a second at age 22, and what an impact his few years of life have made on our large community because of the special person he was. I wondered: Are we all trying enough in our small way to make a difference each day?

I hope we never forget that each of us is special and that we, each day, should make an effort to ennoble ourselves to our community of man.

We only go by here once, but oh what a chance we have.

NANCY B. ISRAEL

Thousand Oaks