Writing Backwards

It's weird to think about aging. Instead of a biological clock ticking it's our lifespan clock taking pieces of us and scattering them to the winds. In my case they are adding to the sandstone of the Colorado National Monument in my backyard. I've read about the insidious nature of time passing but the reality is so much more, well, real. My neck is crinkly, my eyes can barely been seen beneath the droop of the lid, I can't go 24/7 like I used to (this, I think, is a positive), and my feet are trashed. I was a runner, 5ks, 10ks and a couple of short court triathalons - now I'm happy to walk. So what's the point of all this whining, you ask? I can think of a million reasons - seeking wisdom, advising the young to appreciate youth, accepting my aging body, gaining a sense of humor, looking for grace, honoring all women of age but I think really it comes down to mortality. I am and you are - Finite! We, like a good story, have a beginning, a middle and an inevitable end. Stephen Covey said "write your epitaph" if you want to know how to live your life. Start with the end and work backwords. What do you want to be remembered for - this changed my life because I didn't want to be remembered for being a good project manager. So I quit and wrote a book and am working on two more. Think about it - it might just work for authors. Start with your last chapter and write in retrograde like running a movie in rewind.

Happy Writing!