Libraries Of The Young And Old

Libraries of the Young and Old

When an old person dies, we often hear the phrase, "They lived a wonderful life, full of amazing memories." Sometimes the passing of a loved one is a relief if he or she suffered from a long term illness. These loved ones leave us memories that help us handle death. But when a young person's life is cut short by either tragedy or sickness, the emotions are not the same. There are often questions as to why did this happen or what this person might have contributed to the world had he lived. An African proverb states, "When an old person dies, a library is burned to the ground." However, a person does not have to be old to have contributed to society or to have affected lives of people and friends who loved him or her. Whatever the age of an individual at his death, he leaves a legacy.

A few years ago, my grandparents passed away. My grandparents and I often discussed their lives. They talked about life before air conditioning, walking to school, or working to help "make ends meat." When I think of our conversations, tears flow. These are cherished memories that will be forever in my heart. Even with the stories of struggles, there was always a lesson to be learned. My grandmother's father died when she was eleven. They had six children. I once asked my grandmother how they lived; she responded, "We had a great time!" I was flabbergasted. My grandfather went to school in a one room schoolhouse in the woods. He thought he was in "high cotton" when they got indoor plumbing. These memories, though about nothing earth shattering, have left a tremendous impact on my life.

However, when I think about my friend, Kyle, whose life ended at a young age, I wonder if he would have been able to offer terrific memoirs similar to my grandparents. His stories, of course, would be different. He would have talked about music and acting in our school play Footloose. I think of our times we would have had together and the memories we didn't get