This Man's Life

"What should I do for the rest of my life?" Dave asked Ms. Henry.

She laughed out loud. "David!" she exclaimed. "You're only in kindergarten! You don’t need to worry about it at your age! Here, go and enjoy yourself in the playground. See, there are some of your friends playing kickball. Why don’t you go join them?

And so he played to his heart’s content.

"What should I do for the rest of my life?" Dave asked Prof. Thurber.

"Well," answered Prof. Thurber with a thoughtful pause. "I don't think I'm qualified to answer that. What I can say is for you to use your freshman year to explore the opportunities out there for you. There is the core curriculum that everyone has to take, but use your electives to take a few introductory classes in the different departments and see what you really like. Use this time to explore your options, to learn about what out there really fascinates you."

And so he learned as much as his head could hold.

"What should I do for the rest of my life?" Dave asked his boss.

"You're on a good track for a career. Work hard. Take advantage of the opportunities that are offered to you here. Put in your time and effort and you’ll do well. But don’t get stuck. If it seems like your career isn’t moving, then find something else to do that is moving. Never stagnate.

And so he worked hard and moved up quickly.

"What should I do for the rest of my life?" Dave asked his mother on his wedding day.

"You now have a sacred responsibility to another. Be a faithful husband and when it is time, a faithful and father. You must be there to support them and when you're in need, they will be there to support you. Your wife will be your guide through life and your children will be your legacy."

And so he bore his responsibility nobly.

"What should I do for the rest of my life?" Dave asked the rabbi in between chemotherapy treatment.

The rabbi smiled. "You have lived a rich and full life. You should rest."

And so he did.