Renewal (A Writing Assignment)

Mr. Sternberg of House of Sternberg has an interesting writing assignment that I thought I would take a stab at.

Renewal

There always seems to be something in my home about to expire, including me. My driver’s license is due for renewal as is my passport, car insurance, library card, credit cards, and warranties on various household items which, as you know, always break down the day after expiry of said warranty.

I got to thinking, what if we had an expiry date, say once we reach our allotted three score years and ten and found ourselves in front of the court of last resort to plead our case for possible renewal. What would we say, how would we plead? What possibly reason could we give to justify another ten years of life or so on this wonderful, if somewhat damaged Earth?

I hope I get a good ‘brief’ as it will take some justifying on my part to allow me stick around a bit longer. On reviewing seventy years of living an average life, what could I say on my behalf? That I didn’t kill or maim any living creature? Well, not quite true, what about the countless spiders and miscellaneous creeping creatures that I have dispatched without too much thought over the intervening years? Not to mention all the lambs, calves, cows, chickens, fish and crustaceans that were sacrificed for my Sunday dinners. What contribution have I made to benefit the planet or even my own tiny living space? I married and had one child, thus adding to over-crowding by one soul. I have owned and driven four cars over my time thus polluting the atmosphere, I helped fill the landfills to overflowing before recycling finally kicked in. A point for me on that score.

I have tried to leave as small a footprint as possible. I have assisted my fellow-persons on my journey where I can, but then again, I have also walked heedlessly by the Salvation Army kettles on occasion and stepped over some unfortunate lying on the sidewalk, unless they had a dog with them. I can see the scales tipping the other way again.

Okay my life so far, no major crimes, not even a speeding ticket, parking tickets yes, but I always paid them on time. Contributions to society, did I build a better mouse-trap? No, I haven’t even come up with an original thought, if someone says something extremely witty; I’ll file it away so I can trot it out later, impressing those around me as to how funny and clever I am. The scales are dipping further.

Employment, nothing to help there I’m afraid. A lifetime of secretarial and administrative work has only resulted in the destruction of acres of rain forest. After 33 years of toil, my work was just consigned to the recycle bin; my desk cleared and refilled almost immediately by yet another office drone with not a sign that I had ever occupied that cubicle space. Well, there was a sign with my name on it and I took it with me. I’ll just pick out my wings now shall I?

Would I be missed? There is that to help balance the scales. I love my daughter dearly and she has given me two wonderful grand children, a boy and a girl, who are the light of my life. I am thankful that I have my health and can help out with baby sitting and that I am fit enough to join in their games. Watching them blossom and grow fills me with delight and I try to pass on to them the lessons I have learned from my mistakes.

I am also blessed with a circle of friends who put up with me quite happily. We all support one another in times of sadness and have shared many moments of laughter as well. In my remaining time, I will try harder to make myself useful and with spring around the corner, cherry blossoms peeking out, daffodils blooming there is a lot to live for.

I see the scales have tipped slightly again in my favour, life is good.