While rummaging through my mom’s belongings we found a tattered envelope in her safe in a little box she had in there. On the outside was the words, “My Philosophy on Life & Death.” The date was May 26, 1989. Here in her own words is why she lived life with gusto and died without fear.

“While running the sweeper seems to be the best thinking time for me, as I ran it this morning my thoughts turned to my philosophy on life & death.

It bothers me when people complain about going to be 65 or 70 or whatever, on their next birthday. Especially when they have their health and running all over the place with Senior Citizens groups. Enjoy every birthday you have & look for more. If you don’t have a birthday your dead! So, take your choice. I’ll take the birthdays.

When we are born, every day we live is another day closer to dying. God gives us life & takes it away. It is what we do with it while we are on this earth that counts. My thoughts on this is to give of yourself to help & serve other people as the Lord gave of Himself & His life on the cross for us & our sins. The more you give away of yourself & money, the more that comes back to you.

When we are children, we think of our parents dying & not having them & we are frightened. When we grow up & become parents we want to live so we can raise them to be parents one day. When that time comes & we are grandparents, we live on the pleasant memories of life. Don’t grieve for your youth. Enjoy all that you had. God’s plan is such that we are to live today and move forward and only backward for pleasant memories.

This is the way I want to be thought of as a pleasant memory. When you think of me as being bitchy, as I know I can be or the royal pain that I know I can be, put those thoughts out of your mind & go for the good ones!

Life has been very good to us. Glen & I have had a wonderful life together. A home that we have been content with (never needing or wanting the best of everything.) A wonderful family, a daughter & two sons & 6 3/4 grandchildren. When God gives the gift of both genders (kids & grandkids), who could ask for anything more. All the beautiful grandchildren, that is the fulfillment of the most riches on God’s green earth.”

Shirley J Ranck, Wife of Glen A Ranck

blessings,

Scott