Parting Wisdom

“I think this is it.” Carean mumbles to himself. He pulls his backpack off his shoulder and begins to rummage through it. “Not that. Nope. Did I forget it? Ah, no here it is.” He grabs the journal and opens to the bookmarked page. A large tree, twisted and beautiful, is drawn across it. A large X is drawn at its base, near a large root and a hole in the trunk. Carean searches for the spot. Once he finds it, he removes the small garden shovel from his backpack and crams it into the earth.

Clink! His shovel strikes something metal. 

“Finally.” He sighs, digging the rest of the dirt away with his hands and revealing a locked metal chest. He pulls the chest from the ground and removes an old key from his pocket. Click. The lock falls open. He lifts the lid and gazes down at the contents in the box. First item that catches his eye is a flask; worn and weathered; heavy and still filled with liquid; the initials R.L carved into the front. Carean opens the journal. He searches for some time before finding the entry.

“Rachel’s Flask.” It reads. “This flask was my fathers. He carried it through the war. He gave it to me on his deathbed a few years after. It inspired me to join the military. Instead I was assigned to become a nurse. I tried my hardest to follow orders but I wasn’t cut out for it. I snuck away in the middle of the night and disguised myself as a man. Had I known the things I’d see… still, I am grateful for much I would not have learned otherwise. This flask got me through alot. Many shared drinks with friends and loved ones. Many lonely nights keeping me company. Now that I’m sober, I no longer see a need for it. I’ve filled it with my favorite bourbon. All I ask is you refill it once it is gone. Parting wisdom? Don’t hold yourself back from taking brave and daring adventures.” Carean unscrews the cap and takes a deep sniff. The fumes are strong and burn his nostrils.

“No thanks, Rachel.” He screws the top back on and lays the flask back in the box. He shifts through a few items before seeing a shiny silver case. Inside lay a black and white pack of cards. Carean removes the black pack and slides the metallic silver cards into his hand. At first glance it looks as though the card has no face, but with a slight tilt the light reveals the image. “Cool!” He flips through the journal.

“Marden’s Card Decks… hi, It’s me. This card set is one of my favorite possessions. I’m coming to the end of my life and will no longer be needing them. Don’t be sad. Death is only the start of something new. These cards were given to me as a gift by a dear friend. They have kept me entertained on a rainy day. They helped me win tournaments; lots and lots of cash! They’ve told my future. They’ve created magic. They’ve collected laughs and stories over many friendly games. I leave them behind in the hope they will do the same for you. Parting wisdom… remember that you can never choose the hand you're dealt, only the outcome.”

Carean continues to shift through a few more items. A pocket watch from his great great grandfather, a newspaper article about his great aunt, his grandpa and grandmas wedding bands. After almost completely emptying the box he finally comes across what he was looking for. He flips a few pages in the journal before reading eagerly.

“Lucia’s Locket. Inside this locket is my heart.” Carean opens the locket and looks at the picture of him and his sister as young children. “I couldn’t be more proud of being a mother to you two.” Tears begin to fill Carean’s eyes as he reads. “We didn’t have much time together but the time we did have were some of the happiest moments of my life.” One of the tears slips from the corner of his eye and rolls down his cheek. “Carean and Sakara, if you read this, I want you to know that I love you. I miss you every day that I’m gone. I know we didn’t get enough time together and I know it doesn’t seem fair, but I hope you've remained the happy and optimistic children you always were. I promise you that I will be by your side until we meet each other again. No matter what you face in this life, I pray that you remember everything you learned from me; About kindness; About love. I pray that love and happiness surrounds you and that you always see the best in humanity. Until I can wrap you both in my arms again… I love you. Parting wisdom: Be grateful for every moment of your life.”

Carean sits at the base of the tree and holds the locket tight. He cries, letting years of sadness release from his heart. After all the tears have been shed, Carean puts the locket around his neck. He begins to put the items back into the box, remembering the story behind each. Once the box is full he begins to write.

“Carean’s Dice. Life, like the roll of dice, is all about chance. You can set yourself up for the greatest successes and still experience the greatest failures. You think it is a six and then the dice flips one more time. I’ve traveled through my life looking for a way to be remembered. The loss of my mom impacted me greatly. I was afraid that if I disappeared without doing something incredible that I would be forgotten. Now I understand that just being alive and happy, surrounded by the people you love, is what matters most. I add my item to the box and smile, knowing that this is the way that I’ll be remembered. Maybe it will be my children… or their children, who find this box and look back on the people that came before them. Maybe this will be the last time the box is ever found. Either way, I add my dice to the box in the hopes that someone will come looking for answers about their ancestors and find peace the same way I did.” Carean drops his bag of dice into the box and closes the lid, locking it tight. He spends time making sure the box is buried properly. Once it is, he stands and wipes the dirt from his hands and clothes. He looks down at the locket, wiping one last tear from his cheek, before finishing his entry. “Parting Wisdom. If you live your life with love, you will never be forgotten.”