Part 46 (1/2)

”What does that mean?”

”Scrooge changed things after his visit from the three ghosts, didn't he?”

”Ah yes.” Cameron slid his arm around her and pulled her into his chest.

”So the future is fluid.”

”If you like those words, yes.”

”In this fluid future, if we both choose the way you'd like us to, where would we end up?”

Time for his final confession.

”I had hoped G.o.d would cure me at the lake. I have no idea if He did. It feels like something has changed, but that could be only my imagination.” He took her hands in his. ”I never thought I could let Jessie go.” He reached for the familiar sensation of the stone around his neck, but his fingers found nothing. ”But I have. And even though my mind might be gone in a month or a year, whatever time I have left, I want to spend it with you.”

Ann didn't respond for a long time. When she did, she stood, pulled him up, and held both his hands in hers. ”Do you regret the years you spent with Jessie? Even if you'd known the future, would you have pushed her out of your life, or would you have still savored every moment?”

She gazed toward Three Peaks in the distance. ”I met a guy once who had a near-death experience. He was a white-water rafting guide on the Rogue River in southern Oregon. Going through Blossom Bar, he made a rookie mistake and ended up underwater for five minutes. They revived him and now he goes around speaking about living life to the full today because tomorrow it could be gone.”

Ann slid her hands up Cameron's arms. ”At the time I wrote it off. Carpe diem Carpe diem and all that has always seemed like a cliche to me. But it changed when you and I were on the side of that cliff dancing with death. and all that has always seemed like a cliche to me. But it changed when you and I were on the side of that cliff dancing with death.

”I have no idea if we'll be dead tomorrow. We could die tonight. But I do know every moment we don't live to the full now, will be a moment we regret for the rest of our lives; however short that might be. So let's live, Cameron. While we have today-let's live.”

Cameron smiled. ”That's a good speech. Maybe just a hint of melodrama, but overall an excellent speech.”

Ann whacked him on the head, and he pulled her in tight.

Wind whipped through his hair as he lifted her chin and kissed her for a long time. A very long time.

”Ann Banister, let's go record an amazing life together.”

Dear Reader, Why do we take hundreds of pictures of our spouses, kids, and friends?

I believe it's because of a universal desire to record our lives, to somehow keep the ravages of time from eroding our most treasured moments.

It was around 2000 that my family realized my dad had started losing his most treasured memories. As parts of his mind slipped away, it only caused the joy inside him to be released in fuller measure-that part was a gift. Even so, the pain of watching him walk down the path of the long good-bye was wrenching.

As the disease progressed, I started to wonder where my dad's memories were going. Were they mist? Or could G.o.d somehow, someday restore them? When I found Psalm 139:16, it was a huge comfort. I knew that his memories would be returned to him when he crossed over into eternity. G.o.d had recorded them in His book.

Then I thought, what if G.o.d's book could be found on Earth? From that question Book of Days Book of Days was born. was born.

If the mind of someone you loved or love is melting away, my desire is you find hope in this story, that you will embrace the idea that not one of the treasured moments you shared together is lost.