Dear friends...
Most of you know that I am a huge Orson Scott Card reader and that my favorite book of all time is SongMaster, his first published work.
I just finished reading Ender's Game for the first time since my college years. While there is much to say in this post about the differences in how this magnificant book has effected me then versus this time around, what I wanted you to know most is that, when I die, I would like one or two of you who are capable and know me well to be my "Speaker for the Dead". A Speaker for the Dead, as described in the tale end of Ender's Game tells the story of someone's life to those left behind when someone dies. They do not glaze over the bad things about them, making someone appear as a saint, but present them accurately and in detail so that all may remember them as they were...not as they hoped them to be.
I know that I have as many shortcomings that should be spoken outloud in the event of my death (and hopefully learned from) as I do good qualities and memories with you. The reality is that we all do and you should never fear that I love you any less for yours. Never despair about who you are, my friends, and do not bar me from your heart. Through all the mistakes we have made in this life, your love has been worth the reason I have spread my own.
I just finished reading Ender's Game for the first time since my college years. While there is much to say in this post about the differences in how this magnificant book has effected me then versus this time around, what I wanted you to know most is that, when I die, I would like one or two of you who are capable and know me well to be my "Speaker for the Dead". A Speaker for the Dead, as described in the tale end of Ender's Game tells the story of someone's life to those left behind when someone dies. They do not glaze over the bad things about them, making someone appear as a saint, but present them accurately and in detail so that all may remember them as they were...not as they hoped them to be.
I know that I have as many shortcomings that should be spoken outloud in the event of my death (and hopefully learned from) as I do good qualities and memories with you. The reality is that we all do and you should never fear that I love you any less for yours. Never despair about who you are, my friends, and do not bar me from your heart. Through all the mistakes we have made in this life, your love has been worth the reason I have spread my own.