There have been a couple of things in my life that I hold onto when I think about getting older and how short life really is.
I heard a story years ago that has stuck with me. It was one of those things you might read and it has no effect on your life. To me it was one of those things that touched my touched my psyche. The story goes something like this.
There was a man who was given the opportunity to sell his soul to the devil in exchange for a lifetime of total happiness. Satan told the man he could live a life without worry about money or health if at the end of the man’s life on earth he agreed that Satan could have his soul.
The man agreed – with one stipulation. The man asked the devil to allow him a notice before his death. Satan agreed that before the man’s time on earth was over, Satan would give him a warning of sorts. A notice that the end was near.
Well, the man went about his life, married, raised a family, watched his children grow and thrive. He loved his wife and had grandchildren to sit on his knees. He watched as friends he’d known all of his life were buried. He cried at his parents’ graves when they left this earth. He lived to watch neighbors and friends who he’d worked side-by-side with live and die.
One night the man was awaken by Satan telling him it was time to go. The man reminded Satan of their agreement. He couldn’t just come in the middle of the night and steal him away without warning. That was the deal.
Satan shook his head and told the man he’d watched his children grow up and have children of their own. He’d watched his very parents grow gray and feeble and friends he’d loved his entire life die. Many too young and many old men like himself.
This was your warning. “Every day you were given a warning that your life here on this earth will soon be over. What more could I have done?” Satan said.