I was sitting at a mall, I can’t remember exactly where, during the holidays last December. It was at a place where many people were coming and going, an intersection of sorts. At such times I often tend to try to “notice” individuals. It is easy to see such a crowd as a faceless mass, an obstacle to be negotiated when trying to get from one place to another. I find it more interesting to randomly look at individuals within the bustle in a more personal light and in doing so I often find myself asking “I wonder what that person’s life is like?”. Are they happy, sad? What joys or challenges face them? On this particular occasion, a thought occurred to me. Each and every one of the people in the mass in front of me carries with them a message. Each person is forming the “measure” of their life. I think this thought has been rattling around in the back of my mind for some time now, and chose this occasion, this example to bubble to the surface. As a 4th degree Knight, I have the opportunity and privilege to stand in an Honor Guard at the wake of fellow Knights. Often it is for Knights whom I have never met. Invariably though, I come away with a “sense” of who that person was. It is an understanding of the synopsis of their life and impact on those around them, the “measure” of their life. It matters not the age, station or aptitude of the person, each of us leaves an indelible mark on others. The “measure” of life is the summation of the affect we have on humanity. It is formed by our actions and how we live the life granted to us by God. When you attend the wake of someone you do not know, you realize that “measure” through comments you hear and emotions you sense. There begins to form a common thread. Interestingly it is not a judgment of good or bad, but rather a message for those of us left on earth to learn from and carry on.
So what is the “measure” of my life? Well that’s a good question. I don’t know. It is the culmination of my actions past, present what I do from here on. The message is continually evolving, and it is never too late to change it for the better. I have a good idea of what I would like it to be. The question I must continually ask myself is “do my actions match the message I want to give”? Time will tell.