When It's Our Time

I don't mean for this post to sound overly depressing, but I get reflective every year about this times.

Eleven years ago, a guy I worked with was killed in a car accident. I had known Mark for about six months. He had started working as a temp. He struggled and struggled to get on full-time. He had been in the Navy for 20 years, and was a tad bit eccentric. We hit it off. We ate lunch together nearly every day. After being let go by the department I was in, he latched on at another department. Friday, we went to lunch. He was excited because the following Monday, he was going to start full-time. As we headed back to the office after lunch, we chatted in the elevator. The elevator dinged at his floor. As the doors were closing I said, "Have a good weekend. See you Monday." The doors closed, and I never saw Mark again. He went out of town that weekend to visit his parents. The roads were bad with snow and ice. Mark lost control of his pickup and hit a tree. Dead.

This brings to memory the parable of the rich fool. This rich guy is running around talking about all the money and junk he has. "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'"

Not one of us is guaranteed one more day on this earth. My friend Mark had no idea that by the end of the weekend, he would be dead. How are we living? Are we living like we have forever? Or, are we living with the thought that we could be called home at any time? I'm not saying we should walk around in mortal fear all the time that we will drop dead.